Heart and Soul
by mandymld
Summary: The night of the Valentine's dance, Elizabeth is rescued by someone other than Lucky. The impact of that rescue on Jason and her lives sends them down a parallel track where things are fundamentally changed for them.Last chapter added
1. Chapter 1

As she hurried out of her grandmother's house, Elizabeth secretly wiped away the tears flowing down her cheeks, not wanting her grams to realize anything was amiss. Checking her purse, she noticed she had almost forty dollars since her grams hadn't let her pay for anything while getting done up for the dance tonight.

Catching the bus, ignoring the long looks as people saw the red party dress sticking out from underneath her coat, she hurried downtown. Deciding to get off when she saw the movie theater, Elizabeth was looking at the marque and grimaced. Either that Drew Barrymore film that Emily Quartermaine had been wanting to see or the Borrowers, a kids movie.

Buying her ticket and along with a drink and a tub of popcorn, she slipped to the back of the theater, not intending to actually watch the film, just really killing time until she could go home and lie to her grams about having a good time.

As the movie started, it didn't keep her attention as she thought about her sister taking over her date especially since Sarah knew she had a crush on Lucky or rather had had a crush on Lucky. The way the jerks eye's had shifted away when he had told her he was there to pick up her sister told her everything she needed to know and more.

Turns out the boys in Port Charles could be as big of jerks as the boys back in Colorado. Sighing heavily, she looked around the theater, seeing the many couples in the room, she considered leaving until she realized she didn't have anyplace else she could go. Forcing herself to watch the movie, she regretted it as at the end Drew's character found happiness with Adam Sandler's.

Then thinking on it, took that as a life lesson. Julia had been planning on a life with Glenn, thinking he was the perfect man for her when in fact he had been the worst, while Robby had had equally bad luck in the love department. Maybe instead of cowering here, licking her wounds she should go home and deal with this.

Standing as everyone left, she was at the bus stop planning on heading home, eager to confront her sister, to tell her grams what had happened then thought about how Sarah was thought the perfect child and then whether or not her grams would believe her about Lucky and went over to the park.

Sitting on the bench, her mind wandering, she heard something then felt a hand covering her mouth. "Not a word." she heard as she saw the knife. Freezing, she felt him tearing at the buttons on her coat, then reaching for her breasts as in the distances she heard footsteps.

Biting his hand still covering her mouth, she felt the knife cutting her shoulder as she took a chance and screamed. Feeling a burning sensation, she then could almost smell the blood as she started to scream and scream and scream just as the footsteps came closer.

"Here, let me help you." said the distant voice as she was lifted like she weighted no more than a doll and was placed gently on the bench. "Here, can you hold this to your wound while I call for help?"

Jason looked at the small beautiful girl and realized he knew her from someplace as the medics finally arrive. "I found her on the ground, behind the bench. Her dress has been ripped."

Nodding the medics rushed the young girl to the hospital, leaving the blond with blood on his hands as he exhaustively walked back to the emergency entrance to the hospital.

Seeing his mother, he hesitated then stopped her saying. "I think that Emily's friend, the small dark haired one was just brought in. I found a girl that I think is her after she screamed in the park. She had been stabbed and there was a lot of blood."

Monica was shocked, this was the most emotion and words he had spoken to her since awakening from the coma. "Thank you, I will find out. Jason... thanks, if it is Elizabeth... well, never mind."

Wondering what that was about, he went up to check on Michael. Carly's son had been born with a heart problem and was just about ready to leave the hospital. He had debated what to do about it, he knew that there was a lot to take care of when it came to a baby but he had promised the little boy's mother he would take care of him.

Hearing the sound of Dr. Jones arguing with someone, he slipped into the room where Michael was already asleep and thought about the young girl. When he heard someone talking to the nurse outside, he hurried to the door when his name was mentioned. Seeing Monica, he asked. "How is she?"

"Her grams is on her way here but it is Elizabeth. She is going to need stitched but luckily your showing up prevented her from being raped." she stated then seeing his eyes narrowing wondering what was up with that even while nervously adding. "I know you don't remember, but I used to be married to Elizabeth's father."

"Did you call him?" he asked.

"I uh, I tried but they are in Bosnia, working the relief camps."

"If you reach him and he wants to come, let me know. We can arrange for his transport." Jason said shaking his head as his mind once again went back to the small girl he had helped.

Down in the ER, Audrey rushed in and urgently asked Alan where her granddaughter was. "Follow me. It might be a few minutes, Detective Taggert just went in to see her."

Audrey positioned herself near the door, listening as Taggert asked her youngest granddaughter to tell him about her day. "Why?"

"Because I need to figure out if this man was stalking you or if this was random." he said as gently as possible. "Do you want someone in here, like your Grandmother."

"No, because I know you need the truth and I still have to tell my grams that." she said her voice low but clear. Outside, Audrey frowned as Elizabeth talked about being excited about the dance, about getting her hair done, about Audrey offering her the bracelet her grandfather had bought her years before. Then her voice changed to sadness.

"I uh, went downstairs and saw Sarah, she looked pretty and was smiling at me." she said. "Then well she said that she couldn't wait for me to see her date. See she was finally going out with Nik Cassadine, at least that was what I had heard from her earlier that week."

Audrey was confused, then why did Sarah go with Lucky?

"Okay, what happened next?" asked the bald man gently prodding her to continue.

"The doorbell rang, my sister asked me to get it saying she had to fix her lipstick. When I opened it, Lucky was standing there and I held my hand out for what I assumed was my carnation like we had discussed earlier that day but it was a white rose instead."

Elizabeth's voice broke as she continued. "Lucky then said he was there to pick up Sarah. I was too stunned to say anything but I saw the look on Sarah's face and knew that something had happened in regards to Nik so Lucky must have asked her out, forgetting about me."

The policeman could hear the confusion and sadness in her voice while outside Audrey frowned even deeper. "Anyhow, I watched them leave then made it seem like I forgot I was to meet my date at the dance. Grams said any man that didn't pick his date up wasn't worth it but I just wanted to get out of there."

"Why didn't you say something to Lucky, to your grams."

"Because don't you know, I am the bad child." she said bitterly. "I didn't think my grams would believe me. Not that it matters, Sarah decided she wanted Lucky to make Nik jealous and he stood there in the entrance way to my grams house and let him get away with it, I even lied to cover for what he had done to me."

"Where did you go after that." asked Taggert as she explained about the movie, then her brainstorm of confronting Lucky and Sarah but how she knew she couldn't just attack them that her grams would blame her. "So I went to my favorite thinking bench. It wasn't very smart considering it was that late at night. Then I felt someone behind me."

Going into what had almost happened, she ended with "Some man, I didn't really see him, just heard his voice saved me then I was taken away in an ambulance. I woke up here and was told I have twenty four stitches. All because I was too chicken to confront the jerk who stood me up to go out with my sister."

Looking at the cop, she said. "Stupid huh?"

"You were a victim, Ms. Webber, that man had no right to try to hurt you and if it wasn't for your fast action and foresight to scream, this could have been a lot worse." he said gently. "Now, I know that with who your grams is, consulting a councilor is a given but I would also recommend you consider taking a self defense class."

"Thank you, I wish I had more that could help you catch this guy." she said as she closed her eyes.

In the hallway, Audrey was talking to Bobbie, telling her all that she had overheard. The red head started to say that Elizabeth must have misunderstood Lucky when she recalled hearing them talk about the dance at Kelly's and shook her head as she remembered Emily telling her mother that Elizabeth was going with Lucky and Sarah with Nik.

"I am so sorry, Audrey. I hate to point this out, but Sarah isn't blameless in this either." Walking away, Bobbie went to check on her grandson, needing to think about all of this.

Slipping into her granddaughter's room, Audrey sat down and held Elizabeth's hand crying for her little angel when she heard footsteps.

Seeing Taggert back, she stood, swaying a bit when he asked. "Mrs. Hardy, I have to take her clothes and this bracelet." he said showing her the bag. "Mac called, he is going to stop by later, but he said to tell you that this will be given the utmost priority."

Wanting to snap, sure until the next big case comes along, she just nodded and sat down thinking on what to do next. Picking up the room phone, she called Gail Baldwin and told her all. "I think she is going to need some help."

Over the next couple of weeks, Audrey really paid attention to her granddaughters instead of putting them in the well trod spots of good girl and wild child and didn't like what she saw and her part in what had lead to her youngest grandchild almost being raped in the park.

First she had informed Sarah that she needed to do more around the house since Lizzie couldn't right then, when the blond had agreed without complaint, she had been relieved until while coming home planning on checking on Lizzie one day she had heard what the blond was telling her sister.

"This is stupid, grams might not see it yet, but how long before she figures out that you stabbed yourself in the park, just to get attention. I mean, really who would want to rape you?" she said scornfully. "Flat chested, tiny little you. You look like a child after all."

Hearing nothing from Lizzie, Audrey listened as Sarah went on and on about how little Lizzie was a burden and if it had been her their parents would have rushed to town, after all they knew she didn't lie.

Stepping into the living room, Audrey coolly looked at the two who didn't see her as Sarah started to bring up the grand time she had at the dance with her date and now boyfriend. "I would be careful with that one, Sarah."

Spinning, Sarah put a smile on then asked in a confused tone of voice "What do you mean Grams?"

"Well if a boy stands up one girl because someone he thinks is better comes along, what is to prevent him from doing it to that girl as well. Now, I didn't say anything about this before, but I am well aware that Lucky had asked your sister to the dance then when he found out you were free asked you to spite Nikolas but what if Nik had been taking Elizabeth? See I am quite certain that your sister wouldn't have accepted Lucky's date out of a need to protect you, but for some reason you don't feel the same way about her? And I have to wonder why?"

"That isn't true, he was only going to the dance with Lizzie as friends." she shrilled.

"Strange, his aunt, that cook down at Kelly's and Monica Quartermaine all heard differently and if I had known about it the night of the dance, neither one of you would have gone. Now I want you to consider something, either you straighten up and treat your sister with respect or I am going to ship you to your brother."

"But grams-" Sarah started to talk then glaring at Lizzie said. "You are going to pay for this."

Audrey sighed and called Monica. "Would you mind a guest for a few days, I have something to deal with here."

After a few minutes, Audrey went back to the great room and announced. "Lizzie, I have to deal with your sister and I am worried about your injury so I have arranged for you to stay with the Quartermaines for a few days. When you come home, things are going to be very different."

Gently hugging the brunette, she kissed her forehead and saw her fear. "I am also aware that you haven't left this house other than school since this happened, I think being at the Q's is going to be the shot in the arm you need to start feeling better about yourself. Sarah, cancel that date tonight with Lucky, you and I are going to be busy."

Meanwhile Jason was dealing with a mess all of his own. Robin his ex-girlfriend was back to help her friend Brenda deal with getting stood up by Sonny on their wedding day. She was aware that he wasn't the father of Carly's baby even if at this point she didn't know who the real father was yet.

When she stopped over to visit him, he felt a small tug on his heartstrings but soon realized it was more for the way she had made him feel than the feelings themselves. A bit astonished to figure that out, he had reacted with stunned shock when she told him he was the other reason she had come home. "Robin, I am sorry, but I just don't feel like that anymore."

The college student had fled, returning to Brenda's cottage as they cried themselves sick with ice cream and bad chick flicks on the VCR. "Why me?"

"Well in your case, it's because Sonny is dealing with his baby's death, whereas Jason is caught up in making a mistake courtesy of Carly Benson." said Robin darkly. "One I will not let him make."

Leaving the cottage, she went to Harbor Towers determined to make Jason see reason.

Jason meanwhile had informed Leticia, the woman who was working as Michael's nanny that he had just had a bottle. "I will be home in the morning."

When he arrived at his nightly sentry he was furious to hear a message that the guard he had assigned was gone. Calling around, he listened to what Johnny had to say then said. "Fine, stay off the grounds but if she leaves be sure to protect her."

As he drove down Maple he saw the car following him and grimacing at how bad the PCPD was doing about tailing him, he drove out the cliff roads, his mind on the young girl he had heard was having a tough time dealing with getting stabbed and the aftermath.

Calling his police contact, he was frowning even more when they told him all they had was a bit of leather glove and that the knife had been more than likely a common household kitchen knife. When he yet again, saw his tail, he pulled over at the old bridge and waited for them to drive by. When instead they pulled in, he was shaking his head when he saw Robin getting out of the car. "What are you doing here?"

With a soft smile, she said. "I just knew I would find you here, after all this is where we met. Jason, I know why you are doing this, but I can help you. That little boy, he needs a mother, someone to help you with him. Let me be that person."

"Robin, he has a mother. Carly Benson. And I am not going to put another woman in that spot, it wouldn't be right." he stated. "And I have help, I have a nanny and Emily is always offering to babysit if I need her. Besides, you hate Carly, I don't think it is such a good idea for you to be around her child when you don't like his mother."

"Fine, Jason. I can see that." she conceded as he felt relief that he had finally gotten through to her. "But that doesn't mean we can't still be together. We can just do so when the nanny has the little boy or take Emily up on her offer."

When she went to hug him, Jason gently stopped her then said. "Robin, I meant what I said, I don't feel that way about you any more. I just... I don't get it, but when you were gone... when I was dealing with helping Carly, when I was taking care of Michael... you were there but it was more the idea of someone to talk to then you actually."

"You don't mean that." she insisted.

"Yes and it would be wrong of me to lie and say yes, we can go back to what we were when I am not in the same place and don't have the same feelings."

"Well feelings are meant to change, to grow. That is part of gaining life experience, Jason." she said trying to teach him still. "See, that is the way things should be. Just give it time. Soon, we will be back to where we were before Carly pushed her way in."

Jason knew what he had to do and regretted it but said it anyhow. "But the reason Carly was able to be there, was because I didn't know better. Now I do and Robin, you are not the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Neither is Carly, despite what you may think."

"Then who is she?" snapped the young woman. "Who is stealing you away from me?"

"Now you sound like the Quartermaines. I am a human being, not something that can be claimed, or owned or stolen." he snapped.

"Yet I don't hear you denying there is another woman you have feelings for." she retorted.

"Robin, we are over so it is none of your business if I have feelings for someone else." he pointed out quietly. "I am sorry you came back wanting more but I don't have anything else to give you."

Robin left town soon afterwords, taking Brenda back to Paris with her. Sonny came home and took the business back while Jason concentrated on Michael and finding out who had attacked a certain young woman who wouldn't leave his mind.

Elizabeth looked up from behind the counter at Kelly's and smiled as her best friend entered the diner. "Thank goodness, I thought I was going to have to go shopping on my own."

When Emily weakly returned the smile, Elizabeth glared at her and said. "Oh no, this was your idea Quartermaine."

"We are still going shopping but do you mind if we have someone else going with us?" she asked. "A very smelly someone else."

A bit confused, Elizabeth saw the man bringing in the stroller and smiled. "If it's Michael, sure I don't mind."

"Thanks, I just agreed to babysit for Jason here and didn't think about our plans." she said pointing to her brother who was quiet even for him. "Uh, Jase, you don't mind if we take Michael with us, do you?"

Swallowing the need he found himself feeling whenever he was in the same room as the young girl he had saved over a year before, he said. "No, I have no problems with that at all. How are you Elizabeth?"

"I'm fine." she said wishing she knew where she had heard that voice before then asked. "How are you doing, I mean, I know that the Spencers have been giving you a rough time for what happened to Lucky."

"I am fine, I feel for them, they lost their son. I just wish I knew why he was at the garage." he said then asked. "I know he was dating your sister, how is she doing?" Sarah had flown into a rage, attacking both Sonny and him that night until Bobbie had taken the sedated girl to the hospital.

"She is leaving for Europe, to join our parents." she said. "Look, like Grams said.. no one, not even you were aware that Lucky was hiding out in your old garage."

Her grams was certain that Sarah knew, but the blond denied it. When the fire marshal had declared the fire started with a candle burning in the small area above the garage, then igniting the entire building, Luke hadn't believed it, instead blaming Jason and Sonny, claiming it had to be a mob war.

Instead it had soon became public knowledge why Lucky had fled, that he had been living on the docks for months. Even more importantly, the candle had been one that Audrey Hardy had purchased while chaperoning Elizabeth's class trip to Williamsburg, but Sarah had stated that Lucky had to have stolen in, quickly tossing her boyfriend under the proverbial bus to protect herself.

The Spencers had soon turned on her sister, blaming her for their son not being at home, blindly ignoring that the truth about Luke raping Laura had anything to do with it. The younger Spencer had been put through the ringer by the police and the press when Elizabeth's attacker had been arrested then quickly brought in front of a trial judge.

The truth about the entire night had come out when the attacker, Tom Baker had tried to put the blame on Elizabeth for being in the park. The press had soon roasted Lucky as well as Tom. Tom was now serving 20 to life after he had been caught not only with attempted rape but blackmailing young women he had photographed at the changing stations in Wyndham's where he had worked as a photographer and where he had seen Elizabeth that day.

Sarah had stood by her boyfriend to the point that Elizabeth had once again fled to the Quartermaines to get away from her sister and where she had been staying again since. When the Spencers and Nik had begun attacking her, she had tried to blame Elizabeth, even going so far as to call her parents. Now she was on her way to stay with them.

Jason handed the diaper bag over to the two girls then went to deal with the blond who was waiting for him. "Jake, what is it?"

"Her." she said her thumb pointing to the other blond in the room. When Carly looked at Jason, he saw the tears in her eyes and felt bad for her.

"Jason, where is my little boy?" she said wiping the tears. "How is he?"

"He is fine, I didn't know if you had a name picked out, but I named him Michael." he said hugging the confused blond. "He is doing well. Now where have you been?"

Lying, Carly said. "I was wandering around, trying to get my head on straight. Then one day... one day I saw this little blond boy and I knew, I knew I had to come home, that I was ready to be a mother to our little boy."

Jason had a tingling down his spine, the one he usually got when there was danger nearby but this time he was aware that it was from Carly. He had hoped he was wrong, but the moment he heard the phrase our little boy, he knew he wasn't. "Well, I was preparing for this day. I have set you up in an apartment in the Towers, you just need to move in. Then we will start getting Michael used to you but Carly, you need to understand that that is going to take time. He doesn't recall you right now."

Smiling, she said. "Yes, I get that. I am sure that eventually things will be the way they were meant to be."

"Well, Michael right now is with Emily and her friend, they took him to the mall, so why don't I show you your apartment. Have you any thought about what you want to do for a job?"

Stunned, she looked at him and said. "I was for now, planning on getting used to my son. That was going to be my job."

"Carly, I get that, but I think it might be good for you to well, have a job. What about working at the hospital. You did get your nurses training." he said getting why Sonny had said what he had now.

"No, my mother won't let that happen." she said almost certain of it. "Besides, I only took the training to get close to Tony, you know that."

"But Carly, you are going to need to get a job, eventually and nursing at least pays well enough for you to be able to support Michael and you." he said not wanting to just point out that he would be glad to help but that he wasn't going to do it all.

Robin while she might have not gotten what she wanted, then together had at least given him something to chew on when she pointed out the Carly was going to want him to support her and be the man in her life.

After some long talks with Sonny as well as a few of the senior guards, they had gotten through to him about how Carly had acted before and how she was not going to want to let him go. They had even suggested a fake girlfriend to keep the blond at bay.

When they arrived at the towers, Carly was triumphant when they went up the elevators until they stopped on the floor below Jason's. "Wait, what are we doing here. You live on the penthouse level."

"I used to. I don't anymore. Alexis Davis just moved into my old place." he said not telling her that had been Sonny's idea. He was now thinking that the Cuban had been right about that.

Relieved to know that Jason was really taking her to their place, she saw him take out the keys on the ring and remove them before handing them to her. "Here, you check it out."

Entering, Carly looked around, "Well this isn't half bad, but Jason it really doesn't have much in it. I am going to need to go shopping."

"Oh, well the rest of the furniture should be delivered later today. Sonny's girlfriend Hannah picked it out with Alexis." Leading her in, he showed her the desk and said. "I set up an account to cover Michael's needs when he is with you. There is a limit on the account. Benny said it was one thousand dollars and will be paid monthly so that you know not to go over that amount. Any groceries can be charges at Weston's on fifth."

"That isn't nearly enough, you know that Jason." she entreated. "I mean, I spent half that much alone on one outfit."

Knowing what he had to do, Jason closed his eyes then said when he had reopened them "Carly this money is for Michael. You should find all the clothes you bought before in the closets in the bedroom. If you remember right, you already purchased clothes for after Michael was born. Shoes and all that other stuff as well. Now, I have to go but if you need any help in regards to that job, Alexis said she would be glad to help you find one."

When he was at the door, Carly thought about it then with narrowed eyes decided she had to use her little boy to get him back. "Jason, I want to see my son. Remember, I can tell the truth about his parentage at any moment."

Turning, he looked at her and took pleasure in giving her the bad news. "Carly, if that is what you want, fine but you might want to think twice about it. AJ is married and I am sure that the judge might consider that a happily married couple are better suited to raise Michael then you."

Shocked, she felt her jaw drop. Looking at her, he continued. "Carly a lot has changed and you need to face up to that. Now, I suggest you get that job so that when the custody case does come, because secrets have a way of coming out, you look good to the courts."

"But we can just get married, that way he doesn't have a claim..." she said frantically. "Yes, that is the perfect solution, we can get married and with all your money, there is no way the judge will take Michael away from us."

Looking at her, sad to find out that Sonny was yet again correct, he said. "Carly, I have kept your secret for your sake. So that you can have the time to bond with your son, but I have known since the moment you left... since the moment you left that eventually AJ was going to find out he is his son."

"But if we get married, it won't make a difference, this way you don't lose your little boy, the little boy you have grown attached to." she said wondering where her plan had gone wrong. "After all, Jason. AJ is a drunk."

"No, not anymore he isn't. He left town, came back sober and with a wife." he said looking at her, making her see that her plan, the one that Francis had proven to him she had concocted wouldn't work. "Carly, his wife, she is above reproach. Whereas you and I well, neither one of us would look good."

"But you raised him. How can you not fight for him." she asked heatedly.

"I am the only person in this mess who has his best interests at heart." he said quietly. "You certainly don't. You look at your son and see a credit card."

"How dare you?" she hissed.

Leaving he said. "I will set it up for you and I to go and get Michael at the end of his time with his Aunt Emily. Now, I suggest you sit down and face reality."

Jason soon got the flaw in his plan when Carly called asking yet again about seeing Michael. When they arrived at Kelly's the late spring day was warm and there were many people in the courtyard sitting at the outside tables.

Approaching his sister, he saw her with the stroller and felt Carly's breath catch, maybe just maybe the blond would be happy to be a mother and not expect that dream family she seemed to think she should have. Seeing the empty stroller, Carly looked around, her eyes frosty as she clearly wanted to say something to Emily but didn't because he was there.

"Michael is inside with his girlfriend." she announced less than happy to see the blond return. "How are you Carly?"

"Where is my son?" she asked looking in the window. She could see the red headed kid being held by a small girl that looked she was still in junior high school and talking to Bobbie. Shuddering and glad that that kid wasn't hers, she kept looking annoyed when she finally saw the woman coming from the bathrooms holding a little boy with bright blond hair like Jason's.

"Oh, he is so perfect." she cooed, happy to see how perfect her little boy was, there was no way that Jason would be able to resist making a family with them. After all, her little boy looked just like his daddy.

When the blond came out of the diner, she moved over in front of her just as the younger girl came out with the red head. "Give me my little man."

The dark haired woman looked around then tentatively smiled at Jason while the other girl felt her brows furrow then smiled. "Oh, your Carly Benson. Here." she said trying to hand her the red headed toddler.

The seventeen year old looked at her in shock then with astonishment as the blond went over and tried to pry that blond boy out of the other woman's hands ignoring her.

"Carly what are you doing?" asked Jason as he saw what she was up to. "I thought you wanted to meet Michael?"

"I do, why do you think I am trying to hold him?" she snapped as she yet again tried to pry the baby away from the woman who was now glaring at her and then at Jason.

"Look, get her away from me." announced the mother of the little boy. "I know what you did to my husband if I wasn't holding our son, I would kick your rear."

"Husband, who are you married to?" she asked rudely.

"AJ Quartermaine and you are that tramp Carly Benson who slept with your mother's husband. Then knocked AJ out and poured liquor on him to make him look like a drunk to his brother."

"That may be how AJ tells it but it isn't true. He is nothing but a cheat and a liar." she said hotly. "Now give me my son." Bobbie who had come out when she heard the commotion stood there shaking her head in disgust with her daughter.

Jason's hands were shaking as he pried her off of the dark haired women. "Claire, I am sorry about this. Carly, that is her little boy, hers and AJ's."

"Then where is my son?" she snapped. "And how could she have a child the same age as my little boy?"

Turning her, Jason saw Elizabeth was keeping Michael occupied with his plush car. "Carly, that is Michael."

"That's not possible. My little boy wouldn't have red hair or freckles and he is still a baby." she insisted while Jason knew that Claire could have a field day with this when it came out in court.

"Yes, he does." Jason said as he bent down to pick up the toddler and to smile at Elizabeth in thanks. "Carly, I would like you to meet Michael, Michael I would like you to meet your mother."

When the blond rejected taking the baby, all saw the storm clouds grow on his face including Jason who quickly handed him back to Elizabeth when he saw Emily start to go into attack mode. Stopping his sister, he whispered "Not here." in her ears.

Backing away, she looked at the blond with disgust then asked. "Do you want us to take Michael back home?"

A bit annoyed, he said yes please while Claire nodded at Bobbie then told Jason. "I think that I should go."

"Yes, leave and take that brat with you." sneered Carly as she then turned to Jason. "Jason, someone stole my baby, you have to find my real child. Please, go find my real baby."

"Why are you still doing this?" he asked a bit annoyed. "That little boy who left was the child you gave birth to a year and a half ago. Now I get that you didn't realize how much time had passed, but he is your child."

"No, like I said, my child wouldn't have red hair or freckles." she retorted rebelliously. "Someone stole my real child, you here about this all the time but don't believe it can happen to you."

"Carly, your mother has red hair." he pointed out. "Luke's has a tint of red and from what Bobbie told me the Eckherts, Michael's cousins are all red heads. Now, I am going home and tomorrow, we can do this again or you can leave, Either way, that little boy is your son."

Walking away, he missed her spectacular temper tantrum as she destroyed Kelly's and screamed that nothing was falling into place the way she had hoped. That she knew that that red headed freak wasn't her child and that someone had stolen her real son and that Jason was supposed to be so happy to see her that he asked her to marry him on the spot.

To the man entering the courtyard with his daughters, he wished he could turn a blind eyes but looked at Bobbie and asked. "Do you want to press charges?"

Seeing her nodding, he walked over and said "Caroline Benson, you are under arrest for disturbing the peace and defacement of private property. You have the right to remain silent..."

When she chose not to, Mac got an earful as he slapped the cuffs on while Bobbie took the two girls inside and fed them. When she heard them giggling, she couldn't help joining them when Georgie looked outside in awe and said. "Wow, Maxie, she throws a better temper tantrum than you ever thought of."

"I know, do you think I could take some lessons?" asked the older sister. "Wow, dad looked mad."

Jason arrived at the cottage he was renting and heard the sound of off key singing and Michael giggling. Sighing heavily, he waited for Emily to return while he sat down and faced that the day was coming now that Carly had returned. He was going to have to give up Michael, he was going to have to let that little boy go for his own sake.

Hearing footsteps, without opening his eyes, he said. "Thanks Emily. I know that you had plans with Elizabeth, tell her I'm sorry about this."

"Emily had to go home, I stayed with Michael." Standing and turning quickly, Jason caught his breath as he saw the young girl holding a now clean Michael and his bottle. "Something came up at the Q's and I was hoping to avoid returning there for as long as possible so I volunteered to stay here. Not that I don't appreciate what Monica has done for me, but they can be a bit overwhelming at times, kind of like you are, I mean..." Elizabeth shut up, feeling miserable as she insulted Michael's dad. "Uh, I will stop talking now."

With a hidden grin, he reached for the baby who seemed determined to hold onto Elizabeth's hair, then said, "thank you but what about Emily and your plans?"

"We were planning on trying on my new outfits." she said slightly embarrassed, "That's all, along with pizza, ice cream and boy band music."

Seeing her sigh, he asked "What is it?"

Not wanting to admit the problem, she scrambled and then heard his chuckle. "I can see your mind racing, so I will let it go."

"No, it's okay. See prom is next week and I was looking for dress. Since it is the first big dance I have attended since what happened last year, I wanted to look spectacular but I can't find a dress I like and then I realized I was going to need very high heels since my date is really tall." she said sighing. "I just want to cancel but poor Eddie doesn't deserve that. I mean he stuttered when he asked me."

Not sure what one had to do with the other, he just let her talk. "I mean, why are all the dresses strapless this year, I don't have that much to hold them up to begin with then to hide the scar will take work. I was going to wear this old dress that I found but Emily refuses to give up."

"What old dress?" he asked wanting to keep her talking as the rain started.

"This old dress we found in the attic at the mansion. Lila said it was one of hers when she was younger and it fits perfectly." she said. "Em just thinks that I need to get a new one, but I mean it's weird to pay that much for a dress I am only going to wear once. I mean, isn't it?"

Seeing her uncertainty, he said. "Well if the dress looks good and you want to wear it, tell my sister to butt out."

"But she is looking forward to this dance." she said. "Since only seniors get to go, she has to live vicariously through me, so I want to make it fun for her."

Hearing a knock on the door, Jason opened it to see Sonny standing there looking like a thundercloud. "Elizabeth, I need to speak to Jason alone. Can I have my driver give you a ride to the Quartermaines?"

Nodding, she couldn't help wondering how he knew where she lived as she leaned over and kissed Michael's cheek to Jason's shock as the little boy was now asleep against his chest. As he inhaled her scent, he saw Sonny's eyes narrowing then the older man hide his smile as the girl grinned at him then left.

Once she was gone, he got down to business. "Moreno is on the move and I have more bad news. Hannah has been recalled for not getting the goods on me. So the FBI is going to be up in our business for the next few weeks."

"How did Moreno find out?" snapped Jason when he had come back downstairs after laying Michael down in his crib. "And even better news, Carly has returned."

Swearing, Sonny said. "That couldn't happen at a worse time."

"You were right about her, by the way. I wish I could say you are wrong." he stated as he sat down.

"You deal with that, I have a way of spiking the FBI, I didn't want to use it just yet, but I will. As for what I just walked in on, Jason you need to realize she is too young, at least for another year or two." he warned. "Plus if Carly figures it out, that could bring trouble down on that young girl who doesn't deserve it."

With a sigh, he said. "I know,. That is why I avoid her unless Emily is around, usually. Have our men dealt with Baker?"

"They are taking bits and pieces, this summer should be the end of that." said Sonny as he walked to the door. "What about AJ?"

Looking at the stairs, deep in thought, Jason said. "I will tell him, I didn't want to but you were right about Carly.":

"I wish you would stop saying that." grumbled the dark haired man. "I really didn't want to be."

As summer started and then headed towards a close, things slowly started to fall into place. Sonny was dealing with Moreno who now had the FBI up his rear, while Alexis continued dating Ned, even after canceling their wedding.

Emily started to date a new singer named Juan Santiago, who was the son of Lily, Sonny's late wife. It lasted only until she saw him kissing a fan girl then letting her into his hotel room. Meanwhile Elizabeth had gone to prom with Eddie who had made her ego feel good when he told her that he really thought she was beautiful and a great artist.

A month later, he left for college early, telling her that she was a really good friend. Emily and she had spent the summer wondering what was wrong with them. Neither one of them had had serious boyfriends yet. "The only regular men in our lives are the guards we are supposed to pretend not to see and Michael."

"Well Jason, but he is my brother and I guess yours too since we decided we are sisters." said a laughing Emily.

"True. I just want to go to the movies, go bowling do normal things." said Elizabeth sighing. "With someone other than you."

Pretending offense, Emily picked up the throw pillow and hit her friend while they ran around the room. Lila rolled her wheelchair into the living room, then was used by Elizabeth as she stood behind the elderly woman. "You wouldn't hit someone hiding behind an old lady in a wheelchair, now would you?"

Glaring, Lila took the pillow and smacked Elizabeth herself to the amazement of Emily. "That is for calling me old."

Giggling, the high school graduate turned to run out the french doors and ran smack dab into a wall. "OUCH! Why didn't I open the door?"

"You did." said Jason in amusement. "That was why I was entering."

Glaring at the blond while she held her nose, Elizabeth announced. "I have to go see Dr. Quartermaine, I think your chest caused my nose to break. Lay off on the working out, will you?"

Emily grinned at her brother as she followed her best friend to the door never seeing her brother's eyes helplessly following them. Lila did thought and said "Oh Jason..."

Turning, he looked at her and said. "I know, I know."

"I assume you are hear to tell me that you are marrying Carly, I heard it when she made the announcement yesterday." she said keeping her opinion on this sudden marriage to herself. When Tony Jones had lost it and kidnapped Michael, she had seen the way the blond depended on Jason and knew this day would come in spite of the damage it would do to her grandson and great grandson.

"No, actually that isn't true. I am not marrying Carly." he said then sat down. "Is AJ around?"

Wheeling herself to the doorway, she asked Reginald to get her grandson then looking back into the room went to take the elevator upstairs.

Entering the room, AJ looked at his brother, while Jason normally didn't show emotion it was clear that something was bothering him. "What do you need?"

"Sit down, I have to tell you something." he said then started off with "I am sorry for this only coming out now, but before I didn't think you were ready. You were crawling around in a bottle desperate for Edward's approval."

"That was almost two years ago." said AJ.

"Then when you came home last year, married and happy... I was not sure... I was a bit worried my news would ruin your marriage. I didn't want to do that, I had learned the truth by then, that you weren't drunk that night. That Carly had set you up."

AJ got a sinking feeling in his stomach that worsened when Jason announced. "I guess the best way to do this is to just say it. Michael isn't my child, he is your son."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. I was amused when someone asked me to try and write a story about this time period because I was a huge watcher at this point. As for Prodigal, I have a hard time working on it, I have tried though. I just have such a loathing for Nik right now, that I can't write him as nice. I end up making him a loser whenever I have to use him.

I liked this time period. Sonny was a halfway decent character, Carly was love to hate and Lucky was well, only mentioned and not on screen.

Chapter 2

AJ Quartermaine looked at his brother, angry, sad and yet at the same time he felt elated and horrified. Going with the first emotion, he told his brother. "Stand up."

"What?" asked Jason as he did what his brother asked then was soon knocked on his rear.

"You deserved that, your stupid asshole." growled the older blond. "What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking beyond sleeping with that tramp?"

Standing, Jason rubbed his jaw then said. "I haven't' sleep with Carly since before any of this happened. In spite of what she has been saying to people."

AJ looked at him and asked. "Do you realize the time you have stolen from my son, from me? Did you ever think that maybe it might have been reason for me to get my head out of my ass even sooner?"

"A baby shouldn't be used as a reason to get clean." he said to his older brother, "Nor should he be used to win something, including respect from Edward."

With a caustic laugh, AJ had to admit that part would have been true at the time of Michael's birth but now it was totally different. "I want to see my son, then we are going to figure out how to work him into my household. Do you have any idea how much this is going to confuse him. He is calling you daddy and now to hear that I am his father..."

Jason held up his hand and said. "He doesn't call me daddy. He calls me JaJa."

Looking at his brother, AJ said in disgust. "Why now? Or should I answer that question for you? You want to punish Tony Jones for what he did and know that it will look better if I am found out to be his dad."

"No, and yes. I want Tony Jones punished for what he did but at the same time, that isn't why I did this. I lied originally to give Carly time to bond with Michael, she hasn't done so. She spends all the time I give her with him, trying to get me to marry her or is telling others how I am going to do so. She wants money and me in that order. She is going to get neither." he said tired of the games.

"Carly." he said scoffing as he looked at his little brother. "So you want to pawn the harpy off on me."

"I was trying to keep her away." he replied then added. "She hasn't bonded with Michael, she hasn't even tried. Yesterday she was in court for the end of her community service, Alexis told me how she reacted and I knew... I knew that unless I put a stop to her nonsense she was going to try and drag me down with her."

AJ stood, pacing as he thought about it. Claire knew of his history with Carly as well as that there had been DNA tests ran. She was fairly level headed but how was she going to feel about their having to deal with Carly for the next eighteen years. She already disliked... crap... Looking at his brother, he glared and said. "Why did it take you two months to figure out that Carly wasn't going to bond with Michael, I heard what happened at Kelly's in May. Why would you give her so many chances?"

"Because I thought that no mother, no woman would react to their child like that. She was pretending to my face but the guards were telling me that when I wasn't around, and it was just her and Mikey she would leave him with Leticia."

"That might have been the better choice." said AJ then looking at his brother announced. "I would like to see my son as my son for the first time, then I need to have a talk with my wife. You get your attorney and I will have Justus hammer out an agreement in how we move my son home."

Jason felt sick after agreeing to meet AJ with Michael later that day as he sat there. Standing, he left by the French doors, knowing he had done the right thing even if his heart was feeling a hole where Michael had claimed his spot.

Hurrying away, he was at Jake's when he saw Elizabeth Webber walking in with a bag. "Jake, where are you?"

The older woman came out and said. "Thank you my dear. I really just needed a bowl of hot chili."

Elizabeth wiped her brow and said. "It's ninety degrees out."

"It heats up my insides so that the outside doesn't feel as hot." confided the bar owner as she paid the younger girl and gave her a tip. "Are you done for the day?"

"Yes, thank goodness. I don't know what it is about the heat but I swear they were drinking the coffee like crazy today." she replied then took the bottle of root beer that was being handed to her. Turning, she saw Jason looking a bit sick and asked. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." he said not wanting to tell anybody the news until AJ had talked to his wife. "I was just stopping in to check on Jake."

After a few more minutes, Elizabeth drained her root beer and was leaving at the same time as Jason. "I uh, heard you were getting married, congratulations."

"What?" he asked then growled "I am not marrying Carly. Where did you hear about it?"

"Bobbie, she seemed excited by the news." she replied a bit confused.

"Carly Benson and I are not nor are we ever getting married." he said firmly. "If there was an exact opposite of what I want in my future, she is it."

"But she is Michael's mother." Elizabeth pointed out.

Jason wanted to tell her the truth but thankfully his phone rang and he hurried off after showing her the ringing phone. Hopping onto his bike, he grimaced at what AJ was saying but agreed with his plan.

When he arrived at the cottage, he entered just as AJ and Claire pulled up. They were very serious as they entered the house while Leticia was carrying Michael down the stairs. "Jason, Carly called, she asked me to bring Michael over, is that okay with you?"

"No, I will let her know that however." he said as the nanny passed the little boy to him. Michael was holding out his hands trying to clench at his shirt saying "JaJa-JaJa-Ja-Jas."

He saw the moment AJ looked at the little boy and for the first time really saw his own son. Jason's hands were shaking as he handed the little boy to him then sat down on the sofa, his heart breaking like he knew it would. Watching as his brother bonded with his son, he looked at Claire and said. "I am sorry about this."

"I get how and why this happened. I don't like it on his behalf but I do get it. I only wish that you weren't pawning his mother off on us as well." she added dryly. "What happens next?"

"Like AJ and I discussed, we will slowly assimilate Michael into your house, if that is what you want." he said feeling tired.

"What about his illness from last year, was there any lasting affects or medicines we need to know about?" asked AJ from where he was freeing his nose from the toddler's hands.

"No, he is healthy, but we do need to discuss a few things. Leticia for one. She has been the one constant in his life besides me." he said holding his breath.

"We talked about that on our way here." said Claire. "If she is willing we would like her to continue working for us after we are done with the transfer. With two children under the age of three, it is going to be a handful."

AJ looked up from the little boy with the brown eyes and said. "I informed grandfather that I am going to start working less, he blustered but backed down when I said I wanted to spend more time with my family. I didn't tell him about this, not yet. We are going to tell Alan and Monica first, then grandmother before the rest of the family. I know you aren't fond of them, but I would like you to be there so we can present a united front. We tell them that I understand, I do but at the same time I want to hit you again every time I think about it. That you were doing what was best for Michael because of Carly."

Claire continued. "With Carly being Michael's mother they will be understanding of the why. I also want to talk to you about her, but not when Michael is around. We need to have an open and honest discussion about this woman that this little boy no matter how young doesn't need to hear."

"Tony Jones' trial is tomorrow, I would like to do this afterwords." said AJ.

As they left, AJ saw Jason holding Michael and while he was still angry at his brother, Claire's words on the drive out there were sticking in his head, and he said to his wife. "You are right, I just worry because he wants nothing to do with the Quartermaines."

Kissing her husband's cheek, she said. "Maybe Michael is the way that your family bridges the gap between them."

Carly was ready to head into court, her plans already in place after a visit from Jason the night before where he had informed her that there was no them, that they were not getting married and that she was going to have to start working soon. Feeling the bulge in her purse, she sat down wiping tears as they led Tony Jones into the room.

Glaring at the dark haired girl sitting behind him, she was certain that Robin was the reason that Jason was acting the way he was. There was no way she was losing the man she loved to that pasty faced twit. Speaking of twits, she glared when Emily Quartermaine and her tag-a-long Elizabeth Webber entered the courtroom.

It was their fault that this had almost blown up in her face. They recalled seeing Tony with a baby carrier the day before the kidnapping. If they had kept their mouths shut for just one more day, Jason would have been hers, she had already seen him softening towards her while their son was missing.

Jason entered the court room and saw AJ nod at him letting him know that Monica and Alan had been informed of what was going on. Seeing Robin sitting behind Tony Jones pissed him off. Yes what Carly had done to him was wrong, but that didn't make it right for the man to kidnap an innocent child. Carly stood and created a scene, as she throw herself into his arms. Slowing setting her down, he sat next to her while the rest of the courtroom filled up.

Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Jones was ordered to get treatment with a shrink and Carly stood screaming at him. When she pulled out the gun, Jason tried to wrestle it away from her, only to get shot himself and for couple of innocents to get shot as well. Elizabeth Webber and Maxie Jones who at the age of twelve had snuck into the courtroom wanting to know what was going on.

As they were rushed to the hospital, the defendant ironically was one of the medical personal treating the wounded, Carly was once again being arrested. As she screamed for Jason to help her, she saw the blood and knew that she had killed him.

Stopping fighting, she was soon led to the cell by Taggert who said "I told you two months ago to get away and stay away from Morgan. What is it with you."

At GH, Audrey arrived in the ER just as Elizabeth was brought in. When she learned it was only a scrap, that Maxie Jones had taken the worst of it, she hugged her granddaughter and sat down to cry. Standing, she looked around and saw Sonny Corinthos. Walking over the elderly woman glared at him. Meanwhile Emily who was worried about her best friend and her brother moved over.

"Mrs. Hardy, this has nothing to do with the mob."

With a glare at the young woman she said. "I know that. I just want to know where those guards he had assigned to you and Elizabeth were?"

Looking like a fish out of water, Sonny finally just asked. "How did you know?"

"Mr. Corinthos, I know that you think as the resident gangster you are the smartest person in the room, well be assured you aren't. I have seen those men right here in this ER a time or two and am well aware that my granddaughter and Emily have had guards since the night my granddaughter was attacked. What I want to know is where were they today?"

"Outside, they were waiting outside the room." he announced then said. "I am sorry, I wasn't expecting Carly to get a gun inside."

Looking at Mac Scorpio Audrey started to approach him but soon heard what Dr. Armitage told him. "Maxie is going to be fine. The bullet went into the fleshy part of her thigh. She is going to be in pain for a bit but she will recover just fine."

Nodding, Mac thanked the man then turned to Taggert who had entered the area. "What happened?"

"Carly conned one of the bailiffs to let her in through the judge's door claiming to want to avoid the press. But that isn't why I am here. We ran the gun she had."

"Was it Morgan's?"

"No, it belonged to Tony Jones' brother. It was a police issue gun from when he lived at the Brownstone."

Monica came out of Jason's surgery and announced. "He is going to be a sick man for a couple of weeks but he will be fine. The bullet didn't hit anything important. Mac, here."

Taking a look at the bullet and recalling all that had gone on, he said. "I think that the bullets had to have been in the gun all this time. They misfired."

As night fell, AJ had talked Jason into allowing Leticia to bring Michael over to his new place and had stopped in to see his brother. He had even managed to be polite to Sonny Corinthos who was still reeling from hearing that Audrey Hardy had known about the guards.

Jason had tried discretion when asking about Maxie and more importantly about Elizabeth but had failed miserably. Monica had taken pity on her son in spite of being confused about the Michael situation, and told him the younger girl had been released and was home with her grandmother for the night.

"I thought she was staying at the mansion." he said with a frown.

"She does normally but unfortunately Edward overheard about Michael and got into an argument with AJ who was furious with his complaining about you in front of Michael. Elizabeth tends to avoid the arguments and spends those nights with Audrey." Monica loved having Jeff's daughter around and really hated when she wasn't there. Emily and she made her days and more of her nights with their antics and complaints about not finding love yet.

Francis watched through the picture window as Elizabeth and her grandmother spent most of the night talking, laughing and finally falling asleep at two in the morning. Calling his boss he gave him the update then asked. "What do you want me to do about Miss Benson?" 

Jason thought about it then said. "Let the courts deal with her. Alexis is going to represent her, she said that she would do it whether or not I approved so I am staying out of it."

Waiting a few minutes, he finally asked. "Are you sure she is okay?"

"She is fine, Morgan." he said hanging up on his boss, turning to Johnny he said. "When is the earliest open day on the sheet?"

"September 1st, why?"

"Put me down, I think he isn't going to be able to keep hiding it that long." he replied. "The more important part is what do you think is going on with her?"

"She hasn't a clue." said Johnny laughing. "But I think there might be something there, just that she is so naive she doesn't have any idea what is really going on."

Emily was visiting Jason when she heard the quiet knock on the door. Letting in Robin, she said. "I have to go, but stop over to the house, I am sure that my parents would be glad to see you."

Robin smiled at the younger girl, she was hoping to talk to Jason, to explain that she now understood what the lies had been about. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, but why are you here, Robin?" he asked. "After testifying for Tony, what do you think I would forgive you."

"He made a terrible mistake. Really Jason, you know how Carly is, can't you see she drove him to do this."

"No, I don't see that. If he had kidnapped Carly, I would understand but Michael is an innocent victim."

"Seriously, I get why you lied, with what AJ was going through, but that is all over. We can get our lives back." she said sitting down. "Do you remember the last time you were in a hospital bed and I was at your bedside?"

Looking at her, he said. "Yes, I do. Amazing how much has changed since then. Robin, why don't you go check on Maxie, I believe we have already had this discussion once. I meant what I said then. We are done and I have feelings for someone else."

"Jason, you don't need to lie anymore. See I was paying attention. I know that Carly was the only woman in your life, that the only other females around have been Leticia and your sister and her friend. And I know you well enough to know that Leticia isn't someone you would be interested in."

Closing his eyes, he then opened then and said. "You were spying on me?"

"No, I mean, I asked around. Bobbie, your mother, even Alexis. They all said you weren't seeing anyone."

"Just because I haven't been seen publicly doesn't mean I am not seeing anyone, Robin. Now I suggest you head back to Paris, we are done and have been for over two years."

Standing at the door, she looked at him in disappointment before saying. "Someday, Jason Morgan, you are going to forgive yourself for the mistake you made with Carly and come looking for me, I might not be waiting if it takes too long."

When she had left, Jason thought about it then made a call. Telling Sonny what was going on, he asked if the Cuban was still talking to Brenda. "No, she didn't hear anything from me, she might be telling the truth. Remember those women saw her grow up, they like Robin and wouldn't see anything wrong with answering her questions."

It was now the beginning of September and Jason was recovered and living at Jake's. Watching Elizabeth leaving Kelly's, he saw her face and asked. "Are you okay?"

Thinking on the letter from her parents and their response to her question she was not in the mood to talk because she was afraid she would tell someone what had been written. "No, yes I don't know. I have to go."

Arriving at her grams, knowing Emily was busy with her grandfather that evening and Audrey was working, Elizabeth went up to the room kept ready for her and tossed the letter down on the bed then herself across it diagonally as she tried to figure out how to pay for college.

She had always believed that there was a trust fund set up for that, one from her paternal grandfather Webber only to be told it was only for if she studies medicine. Picking up the note, reading the last paragraph, she burned at the admonishments enclosed, the part where her mother told her she was ashamed for Elizabeth to be her daughter particularly hurting her.

No matter what she did or how much others might like her or even love her, it killed the young girl to know that her own mother believed her to be a waste of space. Standing, angry, she went to her closet and thought, they want ashamed, she would give them ashamed.

Walking into Jake's, she felt a shiver run down her spine but she was too angry too upset to care as she went to the bar and tried to order a drink from the bartender there. When he gave her the fruity concoction, she turned to look at the pool players and was relieved to see that Emily's brother wasn't there.

"Hello sweet cakes!" said the man at her side leering at her,. "Want to dance."

Looking him over, she sneered "No."

She missed seeing the man considering taking the blond up on her offer. It had been months since he had had sex and he was worried about his control around a certain young woman. At least having sex with the barfly would take the edge off somewhat. He heard the sound of a fight then turned to see Elizabeth dealing with one of the dockworkers.

"Well, I say we dance." he said grabbing Elizabeth's arm and trying to pull her out on the floor.

"Go away, go find some stupid blond bimbo and convince her to dance and then go home with you later, I am not interested." she said looking at him. "Now go away."

"You can't talk to me like that, do you know who I am?" he asked as he pressed up on her.

"The loser who is going to be eating from a tube in your throat if you don't back off." she said getting a thrill from picking the fight with this jerk.

Looking her up and down, then reaching out to touch her, the drunk felt his hand get crushed and turning he saw Jason Morgan and whimpered. "Sorry, I thought you had a thing for the blonds. I didn't know this one was your territory."

"Elizabeth, what are you doing here?" he asked his eyes never leaving her while the guy was now on his knees begging for mercy.

"I was dealing with this, just fine until you came along." she said then ordered him to let the man go. "We were having a calm discussion about his wanting to dance and my wanting to be left alone."

Looking at her doubtfully, he turned to the man and said. "Get out of here and don't come back."

When Elizabeth went to protest, he said. "Not a word out of you."

"Jason, I thought we were going upstairs..." said the whiny blond behind him.

Turning he looked at her and saw the disgust on Elizabeth face and thought to himself she was right. The bar fly had been his first chance in weeks to deal with the hunger the need he had for the young woman in front of him. But she was clearly little more than an unpaid hooker who under normal circumstances he might have tried to help instead of settling to screw her.

"Obviously, plans changed." he said only for the blond to glare at Elizabeth and then say "She looks like she belongs on Courtland Street."

Deciding if one fight wouldn't do another would work just as well, she said. "Well my guess is you know Courtland Street very well. So, what is the going rate for your mother anyhow?"

The blond gasped while Jason just closed his eyes wondering what was up with the usually sweet and kind Elizabeth Webber. "You tramp how dare you talk to me that way. I will have you know that I am about to graduate from Beauty College."

"Really, good for you. Maybe then the hookers won't have to do their own hair anymore. Was the rather misbegotten color on your head a mistake or is it supposed to be bleach blond."

"Elizabeth-" growled Jason in warning.

"What, I asked a simple question of the simple minded fool." she said only for Jason to growl enough.

"No, it's not enough. You had better say you are sorry." said the blond as she put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, okay. I am sorry that you made a mistake in class the day you learned how to color your hair, maybe next time you can ask for help on your assignment. Bozo the clown does a good reliable dye job." said Elizabeth then feeling herself being picked up and tossed over Jason's shoulder, she kicked at him and said. "Put me down."

Grunting when her knee connected with his chest bone, he slapped her rear and said. "No, now behave." 

Walking out the door, he stood her next to his bike and forced his helmet on her head. "Be quiet until we are someplace where you can let this out. I don't know what is going on with you, but enough is enough."

When she went to protest, she found herself in front of him on the bike and he told her to behave or he would spill them. "Let me go."

Arriving out in the country, he stopped in the middle of no where and lifted her then himself off the bike. "What is going on with you and why are you dressed like that?"

Looking down at the tight leather pants and white lace shirt that showed more than it concealed she kicked at the dirt in her heels and said. "Do you ever wish you were never born, do you ever feel like you are nothing?"

Jason could hear the pain in her voice, the hurt that seemed to be driving her to hurt herself. "Yes, I have felt like nothing. When I woke up after my coma, there was this emptiness, then this anger. It was what led me to the mistakes I made afterwords."

Seeing her looking at him with interest, he continued. "I wrecked things, I train surfed, I went to work for Sonny out of a need to hurt myself. A need to feel something anything even pain. Who caused this?"

Seeing she wasn't going to answer, he pulled her into his arms and let her cry then said. "Talk to me Elizabeth."

Wiping her tears, and sniffling, she said. "My family, I was always the unwanted child, the bad seed. I just... I always wanted them to love me like they did Sarah or Steven. But that never happened.. I would work hard to get good grades in school then would be told well next year try to do better on your penmanship, after all Sarah had good grades and her writing is beautiful, or I would be told to behave better after all Sarah was a model of good behavior."

Hearing him snort on that one, she giggled at first then said soberly. "That was part of the problem, no matter how mean or rotten Sarah was, they never saw it. She would steal my stuff, tell lies about me, even ruin my homework but they never saw it. Now, this, now they ..."

As she held back the tears, he was vowing to make them pay then heard the next bit as she explained about the trust fund for school and how it was only for studying medicine. "I read the paperwork, when I received last year from Grandpa Lars attorney, I don't recall it saying anything about medical school but my dad is refusing to release it."

"Come with me." he said gently as he helped her back on the bike. Driving fast as they returned to Port Charles he could feel her arms wrapped tightly around him and worried he was scaring her slowed down only for her to ask shyly if he could speed up again, saying she had enjoyed the feeling of the wind in her face.

Chuckling he did as she requested then drove straight to the towers, hoping that Alexis didn't mind being woke up. "Come with me, there is someone I want you to talk to."

On the fifteenth floor, he knocked on the door for his old penthouse after grimacing as he realized it was almost eleven o'clock. "Jason, what is it?"

Seeing Alexis standing there, her hair on her head and a pencil sticking out, he said. "We need to talk."

The attorney looked between the teenager she knew her boss had feelings for and him then said. "I hope this isn't what I think it is."

Sitting down, he told Elizabeth to repeat what she had told him. The woman looked at Elizabeth then asked for her to bring over a copy of the paperwork the next day. "It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean?" asked Jason frowning.

"It's too late, I had to make my payment for classes today. I am almost certain my mother did this deliberately." she said choking as she admitted her family's secrets. "She hates me."

Wanting to assure her, that there was no way her mother hated her, Jason saw Alexis stopping him and let it go for now. "Why don't I run you home."

"No, I can call a cab, you have helped me enough." she said thanking Alexis then impulsively hugging Jason then kissing his cheek. "Thank you for trying though." 

"Elizabeth, still bring the paperwork over, even if it isn't possible to get you enrolled this semester, I still should check it over so that you can attend next year."

"Alexis I can't afford your rates." she said blushing. "Thanks but I can just take it to a legal aid lawyer, Tammy down at the diner offered to recommend one before for something else."

"I will do it pro bono, I really don't like the way your parents did this, so for me, bring it over so that I don't have to go to the dusty basement of the courts and have them get me a copy from probate court."

Jason quietly followed Elizabeth out, insisting she let him give her a ride home. "Okay, but you better take to the Quartermaine's. Grams is probably at her house by now and if she sees this outfit, she will have a heart attack."

Finding his eyes once again drawn to the long legs that were very apparent as well as the white silky bra showing through the lace shirt, Jason swallowed and missed hearing what she was saying but panicked when he figured out what she wanted.

"Uh that is a very bad idea." he said then when she asked why, he tried to come up with a reason, but could only walk over to the bike and place the helmet he found there on her head while his mind answered the question with because I have a hard on and don't want to scare the crap out of you.

At the Hardy house, the next morning, Audrey went to see if Elizabeth had spent the night, instead she found clothes on it like she had changed there. Picking them up, folding them, she saw the letter from Carolyn. Curious, she read it then mildly swearing called Lee Baldwin. "I am sorry Audrey, but unless Jeff changes his mind, there is nothing I can do. However you are correct, when Lars wrote that it was not strictly for medical school."

Calling over to the Quartermaines, she asked to speak to Elizabeth only to be told that she had left with Alexis Davis who had shown up early that morning. Wondering what was up with that, then looking at the letter, Audrey decided to to head over to see the attorney after getting her address from Lila.

Meanwhile Jason had told Sonny what the Webbers had done and the mobster made a quick trip to PCU, an hour later, Elizabeth was ecstatic when she checked in at home and heard what the dean of students had told Emily. Shouting in excitement, she hugged Alexis and told her the good news. "I have a scholarship, I am all set. My parents can take this and well... you get the picture."

Sure that said scholarship came from Corinthos/Morgan, she just returned the excited teenagers hug then looked at the law clerk and taking the offered papers left. "Now what?"

"Oh my god, I have to get supplies and my books and well... figure out what to do about a studio. Then there is work, I have to talk to Bobbie. Well she knew I was going to school, but I still have to work out a schedule with her."

Hurrying home, she saw her grams and hugging her gave her the great news. "Anyhow, I have to meet Emily, you know how much she loves to shop."

When she had left, Audrey looked down at the paperwork in her hands and laughed deciding that she would arrange for the studio since Elizabeth didn't need the money she was going to give her. Still not happy, she placed a call to Jeff telling him to call her back immediately before leaving to see what was available that would work as an art studio for her young granddaughter.

Jason meanwhile had been talked to now by Alexis. "We have some legal business to go over but there is something else we need to talk about."

"Okay, work first." he said sure that the other was going to be yet another lecture on having feelings for Elizabeth Webber.

"Now that Michael is with AJ and Claire, what do you want to do with the cottage, I can end the lease anytime."

"Okay, let Brenda know. What else." he asked

"Carly, I have been representing her in regards to the shooting and she is going to be leaving Shadybrook soon. Bobbie wants to know about the apartment, if she can live there?"

Jason thought about it then said. "I don't care, at least not for my sake. But you might want to ask Sonny, when she was living here before she kept coming up here knocking, looking for me."

"She came to my door several times as well." she said ruefully not adding that it had been at all hours of the day and night. "What about supporting her, Bobbie did ask what she would do for money."

Jason thought about Elizabeth getting shot and said. "She needs to get a job, the apartment is covered, let her take care of herself otherwise. I promised AJ I wouldn't help her with custody either."

Swallowing her surprise, she asked. "One last thing, about Elizabeth..."

"I have heard it all before, we are only friends." he said wanting to forestall this conversation.

"I would say more than friends." she said softly "But that isn't what I am talking about. I found something in those files about the probated will of the Webber grandparents, I need to talk to Audrey about. Last time I saw her, she was ripping Sonny about where the guards were when Elizabeth was shot."

Grimacing as he remembered his partner's comments after that, he said. "She is very protective of Elizabeth, so tread lightly."

Stopping over at the Hardy house after verifying that Elizabeth was working that evening, Alexis asked the elderly woman for a minute of her time. "What may I do for you Miss Davis?"

Explaining what she had found, she saw the woman stand then pace before picking up the paperwork. "Oh dear, I wish you were wrong about this."

"So you think it is a possibility?" she asked.

"Jeff, while he is a brilliant doctor, he is very naive about women. The one thing I can assure you about, Heather isn't her mother. As for who really is, I haven't a clue. I do know that Jeff is her father though. It certainly explains a lot about Carolyn and her treatment of her."

"There is no justification for how she treated her stepdaughter." said Alexis hotly.

"I am not saying that it does." replied the older woman feeling her age. "I always had doubts about this being because of a lost fellowship. We tried to intervene over the years, then Elizabeth went through this wild stage. I finally understood what was behind that a few weeks after she was attacked in the park."

"What are you going to do about it?" asked Alexis.

"Find out the truth, I already made a call to Jeff. He will return my call, trying to placate me about the trust fund, so I can try and get answers then. By the way would you give Mr Corinthos my thanks for what he did for Elizabeth. At some point we all need to have a sit down with Mr. Morgan about a few things."

Shocked, Alexis looked up and saw Audrey's face and groaned. "He won't act on them."

"Which would be a shame, but I am hoping he has the sense to at least wait until she is halfway through college." Alexis stared, open mouthed at the person she thought would have a huge fit about Jason loving her granddaughter. "Close your mouth, dear. You are going to catch flies."

"I wouldn't think a fly would dare enter." she retorted humorously.

"Now as I was saying. I spent years of my life with others interfering in my love life, I saw Mr. Morgan I have seen him with my granddaughter. Do I wish she would fall in love with a nice young man, a nice lawyer or doctor, yes. But I see how she reacts to Jason, I know that when she finally figures it out that her feelings for him are more than friendship..."

"But I have seen nothing like that from her..." said Alexis.

"You just don't know where to look." said Audrey smiling. "See Elizabeth is the avoidance queen. I have seen her with Jason, I don't know how many times I have heard the words Emily's brother, my friend, pals, someone to talk to but strangely enough in spite of hearing her use very favorable words to describe every single other man she has ever met, not one for Jason."

"Really?" asked Alexis getting it. "She has never commented on his looks."

"Never." said the woman standing. "My granddaughter who is an artist talks about how she sees a pair of lips and wants to draw them, how Michael's eyes sparkle and how she wants to capture that. Mr. Corinthos dimples, Lila's smile, yet in spite of spending quite a bit of time with Jason, I have NEVER heard her mention him in that form."

"That doesn't mean much, after everything that has happened..."

"As someone who knows how everything she has truly ever had was taken from her until she came here it does. My granddaughter is avoiding it, at some point she is going to stop. Then I think we are going to have some interesting moments."

"And you are okay with this? With Jason?" asked Alexis.

"I have to be, because I refuse to be the one who gets between them." she replied.

Emily had been on the porch wanting to talk to Mrs. Hardy about her grandparents idea when she overheard what they were saying. As she walked down Maple, the limo she had arrived in slowly following, she worked it out in her own mind then with a smirk decided that it was perfect. This way Elizabeth would truly be her sister.

Calling Jason, she asked. "I have to do something but can you meet me at Kelly's before closing time."

When he agreed, she tried to figure out her next move when her phone rang. Listening, she agreed so quickly that Mac Scorpio wondered what was up as he offered to pick her up.

"No, that fine." she said. "I will be there in ten minutes."

Just too grateful to have a babysitter, he went to let the girls know then called Taggert to tell him he was on his way. "Emily Quartermaine is going to babysit for me."

Carly got out of the van, grateful she had talked her way out of being released a day early from Shadybrook. Looking around, she realized she was down by the docks and Kelly's so she decided to walk to the diner to use the phone so that Jason could come get her.

Plotting on how she was going to fix her life, she heard the motorcycle going down the street but it was gone before she could see if it was Jason. Worried about arriving at Kelly's before the night shift closed, she started to speed up just as the rain began to fall.

Ducking under an awning, she was considering just waiting until the rain stopped then using a pay phone when she soon realized the rain was slowing down to a mist.

Meanwhile at Kelly's, Elizabeth had flipped the chairs and mopped and swept while Tammy closed down the register before heading out. "Honey, do you need a ride?"

"No, I have one of the Quartermaine cars since I went shopping today right before work." she told the blond who soon left. Getting ready to dump the coffee and head out, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps and turned to see Jason entering quickly.

Grabbing a towel she walked over and quickly handed it to him to dry off while assuring Jimmie she would lock up on her way out. "Do you want some coffee, I can start a fresh pot."

"No, I was to meet Emily here and was worried that she was waiting on me." he replied then asked. "Do you have a way home?"

"Yes, actually an old car that belongs to the Q's." she said then told him to sit down. Grabbing some of the still hot chili and what was left of the coffee, she made him eat it to help warm him up. When the thunder and lightning started, she said. "I uh, I have to do this."

Turning on the jukebox, she hit various buttons trying to drown out the sound of the storm. "Sorry, but I love storms at home, but when I am out, I just get nervous."

"How about a distraction?" he asked. "How did things work out with school?"

Her face lit up as she told him about the scholarship then about going shopping with Emily, her only frown occurring as she explained about Edward insisting on buying her wardrobe and the fight she had won with the old crank. "He is just sooo stubborn."

As the storm seemed to let up a bit, Elizabeth was getting ready to pull the plug on the jukebox just as a strong lightning strike hit nearby, making her jump. Jason who was behind her, caught the younger girl as she tried to stop trembling. "I hate being scared of anything, even the music isn't distracting me."

As he held the young girl, he inhaled the soft scent clinging to her hair while she buried her head into his chest then started to chuckle. Pulling back Jason said. "What?"

"I was remembering the day I walked into you thinking you were the closed window."

Laughing quietly, he said. "Well your nose wasn't broken. Cute as ever."

That one made her smirk and say "It's the freckles. There is something about having just three freckles that gets everyone's attention."

Placing his finger on said nose, he moved in closer and said "I don't see any freckles, none."

Stunned to feel something, something she didn't understand, Elizabeth stood there the storm outside gone but the one inside of her now raging as she fought the sudden urge to wrap herself around Jason and never let go. "Elizabeth..."

"Um?" she said distractedly as she tried to concentrate on something other than how good Jason smelt. Hearing the song, she said "I love this song, it is so... something. The only thing that I agree with Luke Spencer on, our taste in music."

As the slow bluesy song played, Jason couldn't resist holding her close as they danced with one another, not saying a word. As the song ended, Jason couldn't help himself as he leaned down and kissed her softly on her nose.

From outside, the blond raged as she watched the man she had plans to marry kissing another woman. She couldn't see who it was, Jason's back was in the way, but she did see the dance, the kiss and then finally the tight hug as she left to keep from being seen. Obviously her plans to make him regret letting her go were going to need work. If he was getting sex elsewhere, he wouldn't be so easy to trap.

Storming off, she called her mother and then went to the nearest bar. Inside, she plotted and waited until she found the perfect man to help her. "What was your name again?"

"Zander, Zander Smith." said the drug dealer who worked for Sorrell as he took the blond home.

Meanwhile Elizabeth raised her eyes, looking into the maelstrom that was in Jason's eyes as he said "I-I" The phone rang before he could tell her what he felt. Walking over to answer it, Elizabeth felt regret that he didn't get to tell her all he was thinking. "Em-"

Hearing what the younger said, she grinned then said. "Jason is right here, let me get him for you."

Handing him the phone, she turned off the music then waited for the blond who feeling the moment had passed asked her if she wanted him to follow her home. A bit disappointed but not getting why, she said "Thanks, but maybe I should drive you home, since it is raining out."

Laughing, he hugged her again, before saying "Only you, Elizabeth Webber would worry about me being out in the rain."

At the Quartermaines Elizabeth waved to Jason as she pulled into the garage just as Mac Scorpio arrived to drop off Emily. As they entered, they heard the upheaval and saw Brenda and Robin along with their luggage.

After a few hugs, they were told they were in town on their way back to Paris. "Was that Jason's bike I heard?" Robin asked casually.

She had to tell him that she finally got that they weren't going to be together. In a way, she almost wished they had had a chance to consummate their relationship, it might make them ending hurt less but she was grateful for what they had had. Thinking on the brilliant young doctor she had met while in Pine Valley, she came back to the conversation as Elizabeth explained he had been meeting Emily at Kelly's then had followed her home to make sure she got there fine.

Deciding she would talk to him the next day before they left, Robin went upstairs while Emily and Elizabeth talked about what had happened at the Scorpio house. "So she just left? Without her girls?"

Meanwhile Carly had gone home with her mother and thought about it, she had seen that car parked behind Kelly's before and knew she had to figure out where it was.

Breakfast at the Quartermaine mansion was always a rowdy affair but that morning it was even more so since AJ and Claire had the boys with them at the mainhouse. After prying Michael away from Elizabeth's hair yet again, the attorney was telling them about her plans for the day while Edward was grinning like a cat that ate a canary while AJ was demanding to know why they were there.

"I have a surprise for two of my three favorite girls and wanted the family to be here." he said then handed Emily and then Elizabeth small presents. "Now neither one of you can take them back."

A bit warily, they opened the boxes and found the key ring with keys on them. "But Mr. Qu-"

"These are from both Lila and I, so how can you refuse it?" he asked his eyebrow raised at Elizabeth as she felt a very childish urge to stick her tongue out at the manipulative old man. Emily was squealing and dragging her friend to the garage where she pulled the bows holding both covers off the cars.

Elizabeth saw the license plate and then looked in shock at the woman in the wheelchair as the said that it was a gift for getting into art school and that Emily's was for her birthday. "But-"

AJ leaned over and said "Just give in, before you waste the whole day being made to feel like you are hurting their feelings. Just say Thank you so that we can go eat."

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Quartermaine." she parroted then hugged Lila to whisper thank you. Emily and she hugged then were making plans to head over to show off their cars when she remembered. "Oh, I have to get my school stuff out of the old convertible."

After some help, they thanked Emily's grandparents yet again before making plans to drive over and see Audrey. Meanwhile Robin seeing the car, asked if she could borrow it for a while. Brenda knew she wanted to talk to Jason and when the Q's agreed, she asked AJ how things where going.

"Carly gets out today. That is our biggest worry. I doubt she is going to accept the court's orders via Michael."

"I still can't believe Jason lied for her." she said then added. "Though he is working for Sonny so lying is nothing new."

"Brenda, don't go there and Jason was doing what was best for Michael and you have no room to criticize anyone for anything involving Sonny. Or did you forget you were planning on marrying him?"

Shutting her mouth, the blond went back inside, thinking on what they had said.

Meanwhile Jason was dealing with Carly who had turned up at the warehouse first thing the next morning. After giving her the news that she could keep the apartment, he reminded her she needed a job then said that the money for Michael was being discontinued now that he was living with his biological father.

When she shrieked and started to complain that she hadn't given permission for that, he gave her the rest of the news that a judge had signed off on it and that she was going to have to go to court if she wanted contact with her son. Carly was cursing as she stormed out, shoving Robin as she went past her. Seeing the convertible, her eyes narrowed then waited a safe distance away until she saw the blond coming out with the girl. When he hugged her then the pain in Carly's rear drove off, Carly just added that to her plans.

Two days later when Zander had finished having sex with her, he gave her the news. "The woman you were talking about went back to Paris, are you sure?"

When she gnashed her teeth and said yes, he made a mental note to let his boss know they were wrong about the other girl. She really was just his sister's friend. Trying to figure out how to get to Robin, he took full advantage of the sexually starved blond then suggested she head home.

Standing, Carly was dressing when she saw the money hanging out of his pockets. Helping herself she grinned as she left his place. Arriving back at the towers, she hurried to her apartment showering then went upstairs to insist on Sonny telling Jason she was looking for him even as she counted the money she had stolen.

Happy to find that most of it was hundreds, she soon saw she had almost five thousand dollars.

School started, Elizabeth trying to work between classes and dealing with how Alexis seemed to be around a bit. Wondering about that, she mentioned it to her grams who said that it was good for her to have a maternal sort in her life. "Alexis Davis? She can't cook anymore than I can, sends her laundry out to be cleaned and has even more quirks than I do."

Hugging Elizabeth, Audrey thought back to her conversation with Jeff and just was grateful that the attorney seemed to be fulfilling this need both in herself and Elizabeth for this role. Jeff had admitted that he had cheated on his wife and that Elizabeth was the result of that affair, but he refused to divulge her mother saying he had made a promise to his wife to never mention her again.

Jason meanwhile had found he had a small problem when he tried to pick up the barflys, his body wouldn't cooperate. After reading some books and taking the problem in hand more than he wanted to, he found himself having a very awkward discussion with Sonny one night.

Carly meanwhile was sweating out what to do. Zander had turned up dead and she had since found out that her go to guy worked for Jason's enemies. While she wanted to go to him for help, she knew that if he caught one whiff of her sleeping with the drug dealer, any chance for a life with her family was at an end.

Two weeks after the body showed up in the harbor, Carly heard a knock on her door. Opening it, she saw Jason and tried to hug him. "Jason, what is wrong with you?"

"I talked to Alexis, then Bernie. I know what you tried to up. I know about the money." he said glaring at her.

Starting to talk, she spilled the whole affair only to see him looking at her with disgust when she shrieked. "This is all your fault, you were dancing with that tramp in Kelly's and I was upset. You did this to me, not me. Please, Jason, you have to understand, you know how I am."

"Yes I do and I came here to confront you about trying to send your bills to Bernie then trying to blackmail Alexis into representing you in regards to Michael, but now that makes the rest of this easier. We are done, you have seventy two hours to vacate this apartment. And if I see you anyplace near Elizabeth, or anyone in my family, I will make you wish you had stayed in Florida."

Blinking when she heard the name of Emily's teenage pal, she thought about the rumors she was living at the Q's and dismissed it as she vowed to make Jason and his little princess Robin pay for breaking her heart and helping AJ steal her son away.

As she plotted and planned, Carly moved into the brownstone which lasted two weeks before Lucas threatened to move to Tennessee where Tony was. Bobbie awkwardly asked her to move out and offered to help her get a place. Instead, Carly moved into a room above the diner, to keep an eye on Jason.

Audrey was looking forward to showing Elizabeth what she had found. As she led her granddaughter to the second floor, the young artist saw the door and asked. "What is behind there, Fort Knox?"

"No, that is your new studio." she announced as she unlocked the door and showed Elizabeth around.

"Grams, you shouldn't have..." she said hugging the elderly nurse. Seeing the sofa and the few other items she asked about them only to be told that they were only for late nights, otherwise she was expected to be either at the Q's or the Hardy house.

Showing Emily and others, she was leaving that evening when she saw Jason entering the building. "Did Emily tell you about my studio."

Teasing her he said. "No, actually your grandmother had Max and Francis make it secure for you. I knew about it all along."

"And you didn't tell me?" she asked pretending to be mad. "Why are you here, then?"

"Well I was hoping for an invite in." he said then showing her the box in his hand said "Happy Birthday."

As they entered the sparse studio, Elizabeth sat the heavy box down and ripped it open. Seeing the helmet, she turned excitedly and asked. "Can we go for a ride and since it is my birthday, can I drive."

"Yes and no." he said seeing her smile fade he said. "You are too small to hold up the bike, maybe on the way back when there will be less traffic, but I still have to help you steer."

As they pull off, Jason can feel the tight grip that Elizabeth usually has then he feels her loosen up before burying her head into the back of his jacket. An hour later, they are up at the old bridge, talking discussing what she has done for her birthday then she told him about how Emily had thrown her a party.

"It was strange, Nikolas Cassadine was there, I haven't seen much of him since what happened to Lucky. He kept flirting with me." she said with a sigh. "I mean, I don't like him but I don't know how to tell him that. I just feel bad because I know that Emily used to have a crush on him so I can't tell her and ask her for help."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" he asked from where he was leaning against the bridge.

With a sideways glance, she said "No, I will deal with it, I just wish I had a little more experience with boys. I mean I haven't even ever kissed anyone."

"What about the kid who took you to prom?" he asked not really wanting the answer.

Laughing, she said "Eddie wasn't interested in me that way. I was just the only girl in school he could talk to."

They stood there silent for a few minutes, both thinking their own thoughts then she asked "You, I mean you have had sex right. I mean it was what led to the mess with Carly, right?"

Wishing she wouldn't go there, he finally said "Yes, why?"

"Well, I mean, you know what you are doing. That night at Jake's, that girl wanted you pretty bad, so I mean, you..."

"Why don't you just tell me what you are really thinking?" he asked as she seemed to wander around something.

"Kiss me?" she asked moving closer to him. "Please?"

Jason felt his heart stop then whispered as he moved closer "Are you sure?"

"Yes." she answered as she closed her eyes. Feeling the softness of his lips on hers, Elizabeth waited for more but he seemed to have stopped. Opening her eyes, she saw how close he was and how his lips were again mere millimeters away from hers and stood on her tiptoes as she pressed her lips against his then breathed "Please, Jason."

Moaning, he pulled her into his arms, her body now pressed against his and deepened the kiss, taking her lips, making them mold to his as his hands flattened against her back trying to get her even closer. In the distance he could hear sound, but nothing, no noise was more important than the sound of Elizabeth' moaning his name.

As they separated trying to capture their breath, he looked down and said the first thing that came to mind. "I love you."

Her eyes widened as she stared at him just as headlights flooded them in bright white light. The occupant of the car could see the two bodies pressed together and it was clear exactly what was going on. "Jason, I-"

The engine was revved and Jason's bike was soon flattened as the enforcer grabbed her hand and said "Run."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_**As they separated trying to capture their breath, he looked down and said the first thing that came to mind. "I love you."**_

_**Her eyes widened as she stared at him just as headlights flooded them in bright white light. The occupant of the car could see the two bodies pressed together and it was clear exactly what was going on. "Jason, I-"**_

_**The engine was revved and Jason's bike was soon flattened as the enforcer grabbed her hand and said "Run."**_

When they were on the other side of the bridge, Jason looked back and saw that the car was stuck between the cement walls of the old bridge. Turning to look at Elizabeth, he ran his hands over her as she panted and asked "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I feel the same way but honestly, I am not sure what happens next. I mean I just realized my feeling for you earlier at the studio. Telling you now seems a little rushed, but with everything else we are going to have to wait to discuss this." Jason had been talking physically after almost getting ran over, but clearly Elizabeth' mind was still on what he had told her.

Kissing her, he pulled her deeper into the brush; watching the car and hoped the driver didn't decide to shoot at them. When nothing happened, he thought maybe it was just what it looked like a random car accident. Then Elizabeth peeked out and said "That looks like Bobbie's car."

"Carly." he said under his breath. "Stay here, I am going to check it out."

"Do you have your cell." she said practically. "Why don't I call while you check on her."

Handing her the phone, he said "Hit speed dial one, that should get you Sonny, if not try two."

When the man on the other end said Corinthos, Elizabeth stopped watching Jason walk towards the other end of the bridge and said "It's Elizabeth, Jason and I need to be picked up at the old abandoned bridge on the Cliff Roads. His bike is toast."

"Where is he now and are you okay?" asked the Cuban as he stood up in the diner where he had been meeting Mrs. Hardy.

"He is walking to the other end of the bridge to check on whoever is driving Bobbie's car, we think it is Carly. And yes, we are both okay." she said.

"I will send Max out to pick you up, do you know if Carly is hurt, should I send an ambulance?" he asked then saw Bobbie looking his way as she heard what he was saying.

"I don't know, it might not be a bad idea." she said with a sigh. "What was she thinking, it is rather obvious that car wouldn't fit on this bridge."

Sonny made the calls then saw the elderly woman entering the diner. "There was some sort of accident on Jason's bike. Elizabeth and he are okay but I think we should go get them."

Smiling weakly, she asked. "Can you have your men do that, I really need to talk to you about something. Alexis had to cancel; so I said I would take care of this part."

Sitting back down, he looked at the nurse and said "What may I do for you?"

Here." she said handing him an address. "I need you to have someone enter this building and find any and all files related to the birth of one Elizabeth Imogene Webber on this date, eighteen years ago."

Sonny concealed his surprise and looked around the pretty much empty diner and said "Why?"

"Because Alexis and I believe that it is important to locate Elizabeth's biological mother.." That one, Sonny wasn't expecting. The older woman continued. "Jeff won't tell me anything and I think that it is something that Elizabeth needs to know, then there is the trust fund mess."

"Okay, why don't you start at the beginning." he said still not sure that someone wasn't going to jump out from behind the counter and yell you are on Candid Camera.

Explaining about how Elizabeth wasn't Carolyn's biological daughter, she went on and said "Alexis is helping because she had a child at seventeen that Helena and Mikkos made disappear. It's been bringing up memories for her."

Rocked, Sonny listened as she explained about the past then he asked "What do you need from me?"

"Nothing in regards to Carolyn; that Alexis is handling, but I really want to be able to tell my little girl the truth about her parentage."

"She doesn't need it, I replaced that money." he stated "Why bother with that part?"

"Because Carolyn's interest isn't strictly about revenge, it is financial. When all three of the Webber kids graduate, anything left over goes to Jeff and her and I will be damned if I let her profit from hurting Elizabeth." stated the woman.

When Taggert drove out to the bridge, he saw that the ambulance had called the fire department and they were tugging the sedan backwards.

"STOP!" he called out when he heard the bridge groaning. When he realized they didn't hear him, he looked down at the other end where Morgan was standing with the Webber girl and shot his gun in the air. Looking at them, he shouted. "Get back, the bridge is about to come down."

Seconds later, Bobbie's sedan was pulled free and backwards as the bridge collapsed stranding Jason and Elizabeth on the other side. Getting the fire chief's attention, he shouted. "Where is your boss?"

"Captain Wisman, I can explain." said the man to his boss as he showed up.

"It had better be a pretty good excuse." he snapped as he looked over the ravine. "Will our ladder trucks reach out that far?"

As they called for their longest ladder truck, the medics treated Carly then Taggert ordered the officer to cuff the blond until they found out what had happened from Elizabeth and Morgan.

Carly instead started screaming and Johnny and Francis who had turned up along with Max listened as she announced that Jason had kissed the lying man stealing tramp.

When Taggert smirked and listened then heard Johnny taking out money and paying Max, he soon frowned as he got what they were saying, he looked across the bridge just as Mac pulled up.

Telling his boss, he was told with a sigh, "Even if we caught them together, it wouldn't matter. Elizabeth Webber turned eighteen yesterday, the girls attended a birthday party for her the other day."

When the ladder had been extended and Jason and Elizabeth tethered on, Captain Wisman ordered the ladder pulled back then everyone watched as they swung the ladder around and carefully deposited the twosome on their side of the road. "Elizabeth, are you okay?"

Looking at Mr. Scorpio, she nodded yes then asked "What about Jason's bike?"

"It is floating out to the Seaway. Morgan, can you tell me what happened?" asked Mac as Taggert made a sarcastic comment about waiting for his attorney.

Jason tensed then looked at Elizabeth before saying. "I gave Elizabeth a bike helmet for her birthday since she likes to ride on my bike, we opened it at her new studio down between Kelly's and the docks. We came for a drive, talked a bit then I gave her a birthday kiss, when we saw lights followed by an engine revving. I grabbed her hand then told her to run."

"What happened next?" he asked.

"We were safely on the other side when Elizabeth noticed that the car looked like Bobbie's. Carly has been stalking me for a few weeks, I told her if I saw her around me again, I would testify about it at the court hearing regarding Michael. I walked over, saw that Carly was unconscious but that I couldn't get to the car doors, walked back to where Elizabeth was and we waited for help."

Carly was screaming as they placed her in the back of the patrol car, threatening to hurt Elizabeth, swearing that she was going to pay for stealing her man. Elizabeth just ignored the blond, well aware that she was going to be a problem in her life even if she ended this new whatever it was with Jason right then.

Hugging him as they got in the back of the limo, she said "I am so sorry about your bike."

"A bike can be replaced, same thing with your helmet. You, you can't be replaced." he said kissing her. "Are you sure you are okay? Do you want me to have Max take us to the hospital?"

"No." she said. "I just feel sorry for Bobbie."

Her feeling sorry for the red head ended quickly enough when she heard Bobbie standing at the bottom of the Quartermaine staircase as she headed down for breakfast the next morning. "Bobbie?"

Turning from where Reginald was saying he wouldn't disturb the younger girl, she said tersely "I need to speak to you. It's important."

"Okay, uh, maybe we can use the study?" she asked the butler who as soon as they started to head that way informed Ned who was the only member of the family still home. The record producer moved the door slightly ajar from the living room and listened in astonishment.

"Please, Elizabeth. If you don't press charges, I promise, she won't come near you again." pleaded her boss. "Carly made a mistake, she wasn't trying to run you down."

Elizabeth HATED dealing with confrontation and even worse was well aware that Bobbie was her boss but she knew that Carly HAD meant to hit her and from the way she had been screaming as they had taken her away was going to not just let this go. "Bobbie, I am sorry but it wasn't just me there, Jason was almost hit as well and his bike was destroyed."

"Elizabeth, you have to understand, she misinterpreted things." said the woman as she tried to make her point; sure that when the young girl heard what Carly believed, she would understand. "She keeps insisting that Jason and you were kissing and that he is involved with you. When she realizes her mistake, she will stop being so angry and things will go back to normal."

Looking at her boss, Elizabeth said "She wasn't making a mistake, Jason did kiss me and we plan on seeing more of each other in the future."

Thrown by this news, Bobbie had to give it one last try before doing something she really didn't want to, she felt for the girl, but she knew that in the end, Jason would support Carly. Quartermaine or Morgan, that was just how Jason was.

"Elizabeth, I am not sure what happened last night, but just because a man kisses you it doesn't mean he is planning on spending a lot of time with you. In the end, Jason is going to want a real woman, a woman like Carly who fits into his world, into the world he lives now. Right now he is just angry for the way she has been reacting to Michael, once he sees that she was still suffering from PPD, they will be back together."

Elizabeth thought about the discussion Jason and she had had and felt pity for her boss as she stood then looking at Bobbie said "Jason has told me ALL about his past with Carly and how it came about. He isn't reacting to Carly's behavior, it's not why we are dating. I know that you know this but I have to say I can't believe you would try and hurt me this way."

Standing, Bobbie stiffened her spine and reminded herself that Carly was her daughter "Well if you won't drop the charges, I have to insist you find another job, I don't think it is appropriate for you to be working for me while trying to have my daughter tossed in jail and for what? So that she can't ruin your imaginary future with Jason Morgan. A man who will right back supporting Carly when her doctor proves how sick she is."

Ned started to walk in after the red head had left but instead placed a call to his grandfather. Bobbie didn't realize it but she just declared war on the Quartermaines. When he ended the conversation he saw Elizabeth was in the doorway of the dining room munching on fruit while holding a portable phone in her hands.

When he got who she was talking to, he smirked, she might not be a family member by blood, but she certainly was in spirit. "Thanks, Alexis. While I don't want to return to work there, I can't believe the way she is reacting. So do I have a case?"

Alexis hung up after assuring Elizabeth she did have a good case then held up her hand telling the odd pairing sitting across from her to hang on then listened for the trademark Morgan at the other end of her new call. "It's Alexis, Bobbie Jones just fired Elizabeth for refusing to drop the charges against Carly." She seemed to be listening for a few minutes while the two in front of her desk tensed up.

"I agree. Jason, I have to go but you might want to reassure Elizabeth. And like I told her, she is right, Bobbie can't fire her for that. She isn't going to back down and neither are we. And I have one more thing up my sleeve. As of this afternoon she should be receiving the paperwork announcing that I have to sever our lawyer/client relationship because of a conflict of interest."

Hanging up, she told Sonny and a furious Audrey what was going on. "Jason was heading over to see her now. Let's let him help her, for now. We need to deal with these other items."

"Agreed." said Sonny while mentally removing protection from the diner. His old deal with Luke had grown weaker and weaker the past few years, now it was over. "I took care of that small problem you asked me to, Mrs. Hardy. Here is all they had. It doesn't list her mother, I am sorry to say."

"I was hoping." she said with resigned sigh. "What about where the mother actually gave birth?"

"That was rather easy to find." he said "It's a convent on the border."

Alexis shook, her hands were trembling so badly as she held them out for the file she dropped it on her desk as she weakly asked "What? Where? When?"

"Is it possible for the dates to have been altered?" asked Alexis as she looked at Sonny while reading the file.

"Alexis, what is it?" asked the mobster while the nurse looked on just as curious.

"I gave birth at that convent. I uh, went to a club when I was a teenager. Lied to get in, with my dad being who he was, it wasn't hard to get real ID saying I was twenty one instead of sixteen."

"Are you saying? Alexis, I can't imagine Jeff being involved with a teenager, he was almost thirty then." protested Audrey.

"If he is the man I slept with, he didn't have a choice." she replied weakly. When they looked at her she said "H-helena caught me, I was flirting with this older boy in a disco, uh, she did something."

Horrified, Audrey was twisting her hands, as she asked "What did that evil woman do?"

"She said- she was going to teach me a lesson." she said getting a hold of herself. "There was this man there, I saw her face as she told her man Andre to get him. She said that he was drunk enough for what she wanted. She seemed to know who he was. She had him tied up, told me to watch, then- oh god."

When Alexis started to hyperventilate, Sonny helped Audrey as she calmed the attorney down. "Just let it go for now, Alexis. We can talk later."

When the woman had calmed down, she said "No, I need to get this out. I have just never discussed this, with anyone. Helena had them bring in this woman, I had seen her at the bar, flirting with men. And Helena made her, well. Uh, sort of get him ready."

Sickened, Sonny was feeling the need to throw up as Alexis continued while tears ran down her face. "After that- she told her to leave and paid her money. The woman, she took it and ran. I can still see this man, tied up, excited physically yet he was slowly coming back to his senses. Helena untied him, held a gun on him and told him she would kill him if he didn't do what she wanted."

As Alexis was telling them her story, her mind was seeing it clearly in her head. The way the man had refused, then when she had threatened to kill her stepdaughter if he didn't do what she wanted, she would shot the slut meaning Alexis, then had made a comment that it wasn't like he would be her first. He had clearly not been a willing participant, had in fact been sick immediately afterwords when he had gotten that he had...

"Alexis?" said Audrey as her skin was turning green. She had come face to face with her own demons after what had almost happened to Elizabeth almost three years ago, but she wasn't sure she was up to hearing this.

""Afterwords, Helena asked me if had learned my lesson about acting like my slut of a mother, then ordered me to shower then shipped me back to school, but not without first inflicting a beating administered by her man." she whispered.

"A few months later, I found out I was pregnant. I tried to blackmail her into helping me, instead she used it to damage what little relationship I had with my father. Helena had paid some boy to say he was my lover. The greedy idiot didn't realize Mikkos was going to kill him for defiling his daughter."

"We need to find out the truth, can you describe the man?" asked Sonny hating to press her. "Audrey, what about the age difference?"

"That one, I think I can figure out. Elizabeth in spite of being so tiny was a bit big for a year old when we finally met her. So I would believe it was possible for her to be eighteen months at that point." she said "We need to run a DNA test."

Alexis described what the man had looked like and Audrey felt sick as it fit Jeff. "Well, it explains a few things."

Seeing them looking at her the nurse said "Jeff moved to Boulder weeks later, then married Carolyn who he had met earlier that year at a convention."

"But Sarah, isn't she older that Elizabeth?"

"Carolyn was pregnant, supposedly the condom broke." tersely said the older woman. "I have always wondered about Sarah's paternity. When Carolyn was denied the fellowship, she claimed to be pregnant again, saying that was the reason they had passed on her. Elizabeth was supposedly born ten months after Sarah."

"But how would they end up with her?" asked Sonny.

Alexis thought about it, then said "Helena, she had the perfect blackmail material, especially with the new science of DNA. She had proof that he had sex with an underage girl. A doctor at her beck and call, she would love that."

Audrey called Jeff and left a message on his voice-mail. "Call me."

Sonny gently took the phone away and said "That is the problem with law abiding citizens. You need to let me handle your stepson. Now, why don't you arrange for the tests, I would do so without telling Elizabeth, just yet.

Jason was waiting in the station with his cousin, Alexis had suggested having Justus go with him so that Carly wouldn't think she was there for her. When Bobbie came out of the interrogation room, he approaching the red head who looked relieved. "Jason, I just knew you wouldn't abandon her."

"Bobbie, I am here to make sure that she goes to jail. I just gave Mac my statement. She tried to kill Elizabeth, then made it clear that she isn't going to get the message that I'm not interested."

"Carly is sick, Jason. She is still suffering from PPD. You have to give her a chance. And this little fling with Elizabeth, all it is doing is inflaming the situation. Do you remember how she acted about Robin?" she asked.

"I do and that is why I am going to protect the woman I love. And Bobbie, I never expected you to go so low as to fire Elizabeth, but that was a mistake. One that you will regret."

"How dare you threaten me?" she huffed. "Wait until I tell-"

Mac approached, glaring at Jason for being right about this. "He is right, Bobbie. Legally you had no right to fire Elizabeth. It's called witness intimidation and I can arrest you for it, now Elizabeth agreed to let the civil courts handle this, otherwise you would be in a jail cell next to your daughter."

"Mac-" she was trying to protest but the commissioner just shook his head and asked her to leave. "What about when Alexis arrives, I should be here."

"I just talked to Alexis, she represents both Elizabeth and Carly and Elizabeth was her client first, so since it is a conflict of interest, she has removed herself from representing your daughter."

Bobbie was frantic when she left the station, she had a shift in an hour and didn't know what to do about her daughter. She had major problems with Carly's behavior but at the core, Carly was hers. She had failed to protect her for years, had let her brother give her up. Now she had to make it up to her.

Jason quietly talked to Justus then went to see if Elizabeth was finished with class for the day. He knew she would need some cheering up with what had to have been a rotten day.

Elizabeth was still stunned at being fired as she went to class. Her mind wasn't on what her professors were saying, it was on the woman who had turned on her. In her oil colors assignment, she was shocked when her teacher walked over and stood behind her. "Miss Webber, very nice job. I can see the anger, the passion. Wonderful work. When it dries, I will put it in the showcase."

Looking at her painting, Elizabeth saw she had been painting swirls on a black background, the brushwork was wild and dark, with deep reds and purples. Thanking her professor, she quickly cleaned her brushes and left needing to clear her head before her shift at the hospital.

Leaving, she saw Jason waiting for her, leaning against a large black SUV. "Hi!"

"Hello, do you have some time?" he asked then told her to follow him as they drove to the Overlook. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought I would take your mind off what happened with Bobbie today."

Smiling, she said "Thank you, I need this. I have to work at GH later."

Pulling her back into his arms, he said "We also need to discuss what we were avoiding last night."

Her smile going away, she asked worriedly "Did you not mean it?"

"Yes, I did." he said gently. "I just meant to give you more time, not just blurt it out the first chance I get to have you in my arms. I plotted and planned and it all went up in smoke the first time my lips touched yours."

Blushing, she said "Whereas I didn't figure it out until yesterday when I saw you outside my studio. I mean, I knew I was avoiding it, Emily has mentioned you lately and I have uh, I have tried to avoid the subject of you since it made you stick in my mind too much."

Jason leaned in to kiss her, holding her as he talked quietly. "I just... things are going to change, I talked to Sonny about it, already."

Leaning back she looked at him quizzically and asked "What do you mean?"

"My job, I am good at it, but honestly, I hate it for the most part. Sonny wants me to get out. He is, uh, says that if I want to have a future, if I want that life I see when I look at you, I can't work for him, not any longer."

"But Jason-" when she tried to protest, he gave her another gentle kiss then said. "He's right. I saw what living in this world, did to Lily, to Brenda. I don't want that for you, for our future. I choose this life when I didn't want a future. When I thought I had nothing to live for..."

Worried he was scaring her by declaring too much too soon, he heard her sigh and pulled back worried but soon saw that she was holding onto his hand. "What is it?"

"I just hope that you aren't changing things strictly for me. My Mom had to do that, she had to give up her dreams because of me, it's why she hates me now." Elizabeth was barely above a whisper when she finished talking.

Jason lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes. "No, I am doing this for me, and yes, I hope for us. Sonny was very blunt, very clear on one thing, if I keep working for him, my future is limited. He is looking for a way to improve his own life, to make some changes for himself. He made me promise not to go down the same road. You, I want a future with you, but if you aren't ready... I just give you time. Ride my bike around the world, coming back when you are ready to graduate. Then convince you to change your mind."

Looking into his eyes, seeing he was sincere, she asked "What if I were to ask that you wait for that trip, until we are both able to go. I can show you the great paintings, the not so great paintings and most importantly we can see how the light in Italy is different from anyplace else in the world together." With a shy smile, she added "Because, Jason you are my future."

Over the next week, Audrey and Alexis talked about Elizabeth's childhood, before they had discussed what damage her so called parents, now they were discussing things like first teeth, swimming lesson, chicken pox and cooking lessons. When they got the call from Alan, Alexis prayed, not sure if she should be happy to have found her daughter or worried about telling Elizabeth how she was created.

"Well?" Audrey anxiously asked Alan.

Looking at Alexis, he said "There is a 99.9 chance Elizabeth is your daughter."

The lawyer burst into tears, shaking as she came up out of the chair, excited and terrified at the same time. Heading out into the hall, she saw Stefan talking to Nik and froze. Going back inside, she closed the door and said "Alan, we have to be discreet about this. If Helena finds out..."

"Is she back?" asked the doctor.

"I think so, Nik has been acting strange. Stefan and I were talking, he has been asking a lot of questions about Stavros, it worries me. Then there is Luke Spencer, he returned to town this morning. Supposedly to support Bobbie in regards to Carly."

Hearing Audrey's very unladylike snort, Alan hid his grin then said "Fine, what about Elizabeth."

"We tell Sonny, Jason and her. But if she is my daughter, the one thing protecting her is that Helena doesn't know that I know." said Alexis. Groaning, she said "Wait, what about Sonny, he already went to get answers from Jeff."

Alan had been doing the math and wanted a word with that particular bastard himself but he was more worried about Elizabeth. She was very much a part of the Quartermaine family, something that he was concerned Alexis might not be happy with since she had ended things with Ned who was already dating his ex-wife, Lois.

Audrey was going to call Elizabeth, asking her to stop over to the house after class and to bring Jason while Alexis called Sonny to find out what was going on with Jeff. Stopping the elderly woman at Sonny's request, she frowned at what he had already found.

Calling Elizabeth back and canceling after what Sonny had told her; Audrey frowned, what on earth was going on with Sarah?

Meanwhile in Russia, Sonny thanked his compatriot and handed him the briefcase.

"What did this doctor do? Some woman came looking for him, but she was some aristocratic pig who expected me to bow to her." spat the former communist who intended to use the money to revive the revolution.

"He made a deal with your aristocrat." replied Sonny as he saw the man loaded onto his jet. "Das vedana."

Nodding the man waved for the private jet to take off, then went to spend his money. Meanwhile, Sonny looked at the woman in the cage that had already been loaded. "We will be speaking, I really don't like being ignored."

Carolyn looked at him then sneered. "I don't care who you think you are, you are going to pay for this. We are American citizens, we have rights."

"No, actually you don't." he said then walked into the back. "Francis, go keep her company while I talk to Dr. Webber."

"Don't hurt my wife." he shouted, only for Sonny to say "What about your daughter, how about I hurt her instead? Or the other one, the dark haired one in Port Charles?"

Jeff started to fight the cuffs, cursing when they only got tighter as he vowed "If you so much as even look at my children, I swear I will hunt you down and kill you, do you hear me?"

"Strange that you are so worried about them, but which one worries you most? The blond you shipped to Switzerland to keep her from being arrested or the brunette you abandoned?"

"Both of them." he snapped.

"Really, well, here, I have some photos for you." he said then tossed the pictures through the bars. Jeff saw Sarah talking to a dark haired man with a goatee and mustache and a younger version of the same man. "Who are they?"

"The older man, I have no idea. The younger one, Prince Nicolas Cassadine. He brought Sarah back on orders of his grandmother, we believe. She, the grandmother was also looking for you."

"Why?" he asked blankly. Sonny thought he was faking but blinked when he got that Helena had never actually approached him.

"Its more than likely about the night you got drunk nineteen years ago, do you remember being forced to deflowe-"

"Shut up." said the man hoarsely. Sonny looked at him. "Shut up about things you know nothing about. Oh my god, is this woman the one who hired you, is she looking to hurt me for what I did to her?"

The mobster thought about it, then sat down. Walking to the doorway, he called to Francis, telling him to have Johnny watch the blond woman and join them. When he did, he quietly reminded him about the horror story involving Alexis then told him what the doctor had just said. Francis moved closer then asked "Don't you think you deserve punishment for what you did?"

His hands shaking, Jeff said stuttering as he went through what had happened that night. "God yes, I have spent the last years, trying to make it right. I tried to forget, tried to push it to the back of my brain, but it was always there, always under the surface. It's why I couldn't be around my own daughters. Do you know how it eats at a man, to know what he did to someone else's little girl?"

"You had a gun held on you." said the guard wanting to see what that would led to.

"I should have rushed him, but I couldn't do it. I refused, then she said... she whispered in my ear that if I didn't, she would let that man with her do it, hurt that girl, I could see it in his eyes, he wanted to hurt her, destroy her. When she told me how she would let that tall blond hurt her, then would let him kill her after humiliating her..." Sonny got a better understanding for what had gone down in the past but not in how it impacted Elizabeth.

"What about Elizabeth?" he asked then saw the man's fire return as he glared at him. "Don't even let me hear her name cross your lips, she is too good, she is..."

Francis asked "If you care about her, why didn't you come to Port Charles when she was almost raped in the park, when she was stabbed by the man trying to hurt her?"

Looking up at the guard, he said in self-disgust "And say what? I am sorry my Lizzie, then do what bey for the bastards' head. I would have been a hypocrite, I knew that Audrey would take care of her. I knew she was in the best possible hands. I love my daughter too much to act like I had any right to be there."

"Then why deny her her money for college, and in such a cruel way?"

"What are you talking about? I signed the papers for Lizzie to access her trust before we moved to Russia from Bosnia. Ask Carolyn, she can tell you." he protested. "I know she has accessed it, I don't know what is going on, if this is more of what Sarah was talking about or what, but I assure you, in spite of how much Lizzie hates us, I would never deny her an education."

"What did Sarah tell you about her sister?"

Jeff said "Why are you so interested in my child, I meant what I said, stay away from my daughter."

Sonny stood and with a nod at Francis went to the front of the jet and asked the blond woman about her daughters. As she offered up Elizabeth as a way to get whatever they wanted and yet protected Sarah, he listened to her version of the two girls and said "So, did Sarah come up with this crap on her own, or did you to conspire to hurt Elizabeth?"

"Oh please, like Lizzie would be hurt. That little bitch, I loathed her from the moment I saw her. I still can't believe that after all I went through to get pregnant. Then when Rick brought her to us..." she said sneering.

"He threatened to take custody of my daughter, pointed out that with the advancements of DNA and since Jeff was only his half brother it might be possible to prove Sarah was his... Then when I agreed to take in what I thought was his bastard, I learned it was my husband's unwanted leavings from a One Night stand with some college student."

When she finally shut up minutes later, Sonny went to the cockpit and made a quick call, hearing what Alexis said he asked "Is Rick Webber still in town?"

"I think I heard Alan talking about it with Audrey why?" she asked then listening said "What is happening?"

Hearing about Sarah with Nik, she said "The Spencers and he were out for her blood, now he is all buddy/buddy with her?"

Jason had meet Elizabeth for lunch at the hospital cafeteria. "Hey, what is it?"

"My professor didn't like my bowl of fruit. He said it was one dimensional." she replied. "Then he told us what are our requirement for next semester are going to be. I hate life studies. I mean, I have to paint someone naked."

Pulling back a bit, he said "Do you need a model?"

Glaring at him, she said "You are NOT going to be naked in front of my whole class."

"I wasn't offering that." he teased as he leaned down and kissed her quickly. "That really isn't what I have planned for my new career."

Laughing and yet embarrassed, she said "I just overreacted, didn't I?"

Holding her around the waist, he said "Just a bit."

Moaning as she buried her head into his shoulder, she said "I just am going to hate this class but in order to graduate, I need it."

Jason just hid his own frown, he wasn't sure he was all that comfortable with his girlfriend painting naked men either. As he tried to deal with the sudden spurt of jealousy, he found himself grinning as he remembered what Sonny had said earlier that week. He had warned Jason that this was going to be totally unlike what he had dealt with in the past, and he was finding that to be true.

More often then not, he hadn't given much of a thought to what Robin had been doing when they were apart, and with Carly (not that they had really been a couple) he had been worried but mainly out of fear for what she would do. With Elizabeth, he enjoyed hearing about her day, he found himself eager to hear about her future and really wanted to be with her the rest of the time.

Bobbie Jones was sitting with Gail Baldwin on the other side of the cafeteria, Alan Quartermaine had insisted she get some counseling after she had had a particularly bad week. Starting with Carly being told by Scott that she either took the deal he was offering or faced a possible prison sentence of ten years.

Her daughter had insisted she wasn't crazy and wasn't going to go back to Shadybrook. Then Luke had shown up along with Laura and their daughter, racketing up her blood pressure even more. Then yesterday she would have sworn she saw Lucky.

So now she was to spend some time with Gail, unfortunately the red head was beginning to agree it was necessary. "Gail, what is wrong with me?"

"Why don't you think about that and we can discuss it in your next session." suggested the doctor gently before leaving.

Bobbie meanwhile went back to watching Jason and Elizabeth as they seemed to be unaware of anyone but themselves and wanted to confront the two of them, but she had been warned to stay away. Bristling with righteous anger, she hurried out of the hospital only to find Luke waiting by her car. "What is it now? I have to go and see Carly?"

"Still trying to rescue the bad seed, I see." replied her brother who then added. "I just had an interesting afternoon at the diner. Care to explain?"

"Don't get in my face." she snapped. "You have no idea what has been going on around here. I was right to fire Elizabeth."

"Normally, I wouldn't give a crap, after all her sister tossed poor Lucky to the wolves, but when it starts to affect my wallet, I pay attention." he retorted. "Tammy gave her notice by the way. She was offered the managerial job at the new cafe. Now what?"

"I-I" Bobbie was flatfooted on that one. "How dare she? After all I did for her?"

Luke just shrugged then said "The Health Department showed up, we are closed until next week, so I would suggest you get someone in the meantime."

Bobbie growled then walked back to the entrance just as Elizabeth holding Jason's hand walked out. "This is all your fault. You, you caused this. I know that you-."

Edward walked up as he got out of his limo and said "Now, Ms. Jones, I WOULD think that you of all people, after the warning I know you were given yesterday would know better than to approach my grandson and Elizabeth."

Whirling around, she said "What happened to his being a thug?"

"While we turn on each other whenever we can, when you attack one of ours, we tend to band together. Lila, is severely disappointed with you, my dear." Everyone in Port Charles knew that was Edward-speak for that he was going to wipe the floor with said person. Nodding at the man in thanks for protecting Elizabeth, Jason watched his girl friend drive away before walking over to Luke.

"Sonny wants a word." he warned then hopped on his motorcycle, his mind going to try and figure out what to get Elizabeth for Christmas.

Alexis knocked on the door to Sonny's penthouse, holding her breath. The last time she had talked to her client had been the day he had heard her deepest, darkest secret. While she enjoyed the give and take then did, she had no illusions about the man and who he was. Staring at the carpet, her brow furrowed, she tried to figure out how to return them to the previous footing as she wasn't sure how to deal with him now.

"What? Is there something wrong with my carpet?" asked the amused voice in front of her. "Do Johnny or Francis have to take out one of my guards for spilling coffee?"

Her head coming up, she looked at Sonny then said "No, look... we have to talk... about what you heard the other day and why you need to forget it."

Sonny thought about what had been going through his head for the last few hours, what had been said by Dr. Webber and about his own life and past and knew that Alexis was doing the same. "Come in, we can talk in here."

Alexis did so then with a puzzled from looked back outside the door and said "Where is Mutt and Jeff?"

Sitting Alexis down, he picked up the bottle of his strongest liquor, placed it with a clean glass in front of her and said "You might need this."

Taking a deep breath, he said "We kidnapped Jeff and Carolyn."

Her head came up, shocked as she moaned "Please don't tell me things like that."

"Carolyn is going to wake up tomorrow, thinking it is a dream, courtesy of her very, very angry husband. Mrs. Dr. Webber has been keeping secrets regarding Elizabeth and if I had opened the jet door, I think he would have cheerfully pushed her out of it himself." stated Sonny leaning back and sipping his water. "Turns out, the man isn't such a bastard after all."

Taking a deep breath, he said "Midway over Germany, he found out what his wife had done, along with Sarah and let's just say..."

When the man on the stairs started talking, Sonny was wishing he had warned either of them. "That my wife is a lying piece of trash. I have also requested DNA tests for Sarah. Is this the attorney you were telling me about?"

Alexis turned and saw the older man walking down the stairs wearing what looked like a pair of Morgan's jeans and a light colored t-shirt then at Sonny while her heart raced and she started to sweat then felt the panting start as she couldn't breath. When the doctor hurried over to help, he looked at the Cuban and asked "Does your friend have panic attacks frequently?"

Then getting a bag, Jeff tried to help her, only for Sonny to move in closer and say quietly "Let me help Alexis."

Jeff froze as he got who the woman was and then quickly moved back to let the mobster help her. Once Alexis had calmed down, he asked "Do you want me to leave?"

Looking over at the pale man who was as ill at ease as she was, Alexis took a deep breath then said no. "I do want to know where your wife is?"

"We dumped her at Roselawn, she is a patient there." stated Jeff while looking at the mobster. "My idea, not his."

Alexis sat then, took a huge gulp of the bourbon and said "Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"

"I will, but can we wait for Audrey." said Sonny who then gave a soft chuckle then said "A phrase I never thought I would utter in my lifetime."

When there was a brisk knock at the door, Jeff slipped to the kitchen for a second then was told that the coast was clear. Returning, he saw his father's wife standing there looking puzzled then shocked to see him. "What is going on?"

"Here." said Alexis handing her a glass of the bourbon. Watching as Audrey's nose wrinkled then the woman looking around, she felt her eyes widen then said to Sonny. "I forgot, she prefers Scotch, single malt."

"Once again, something I would have never ever thought I would hear." said the man as he went to get a different decanter. Once they were seated, Audrey tersely greeted Jeff then asked "Where is she?"

"Let's get to that later." said Sonny as Jeff told them what he had learned that day.

"I had no idea, about Elizabeth. None." he said. "I know you have no reason to believe me, but I love my daughter. I still can't believe she is mine biologically. I never cared that she was Rick's daughter, I loved her, then when I heard all that Mr. Corinthos told me... well... it cleared up a lot of things."

"Like what?" snapped Alexis.

"I am sure the blood tests are going to prove Sarah isn't mine, that isn't going to matter. Audrey, I know how screwed up she is... Carolyn did a number on both the girls, spoiling Sarah to the point where she is convinced the world owes her everything. She was asked to leave Russia, she was sleeping with someone she shouldn't have been, then tried to blackmail him. What I don't get there is why she is with the Cassadines?" he asked confused.

"As for Elizabeth, god, I want the four of us, to please, I am begging you, don't let her learn she was created the way she was." he asked his hands shaking as he lifted the glass of bourbon that Audrey had rejected earlier and drank it down in one gulp. "Alexis, I am sorry about what happened, I know that doesn't make it any easier, but..."

Alexis looked at him, then said with a twisted frown "I was there, remember? I knew you weren't a willing participant, I know that Helena would have had Andre do it."

"I-I was told he beat you afterwords." said the doctor softly. "God, I really can't imagine anyone so sick, so twisted."

"You have to know the family." she said "Jeff, you were as much a victim as me."

"No, I wasn't." he said his mind sickened at what he was recalling. "You, Elizabeth, you two were the victims. Mr. Corinthos here, told me what happened, what this Helena did to you. I do have to ask... Elizabeth... I..."

Seeing what he couldn't get out, Alexis reached out, grabbing his hand, shocking all of them by saying. "I love my daughter, she amazed me even before I found out she was mine. I can understand you feeling the same way."

"As my girls grew older, all I could think about was what I had done to you, how I prayed to god they never found out. It's ironic, one of the reasons I didn't want Elizabeth with us, why I wanted her sent to New York was that she reminded me of the girl I hurt."

Seeing Audrey's sideways look, Jeff said "Elizabeth, Elizabeth was supposed to come and stay here, not Sarah. I wanted Elizabeth to get to know Rick's family... Laura, Amy and Mike. I had no idea..."

"Why Sarah then?"

"She was supposed to come and help you prepare for Elizabeth then move in with Carolyn's parents in Nebraska while Elizabeth came to stay for the school year. I still don't get what happened?" he stated.

"I do." said Audrey grimly. "She met Nik, found out he was a Prince and more than likely told her Mommy she wanted him. But why not send Elizabeth to her parents instead of leaving her in Boulder."

"Because they were aware that she was not her child. For them, it's all about Sarah, or was. They died last year. Sarah was pissed to find out they didn't have anything left to leave her. They had a tendency to live way beyond their means." said Jeff. "Which is why I would guess that Carolyn gave Sarah the money I okayed for Liz's college. A lump sum for the next four years, over a hundred thousand dollars."

Sonny told the two women "When we arrived here, Bernie was told to look into it. We have to let Elizabeth know that they are here and what is going on. Jason is starting to get suspicious, even with our talk about him getting out."

Audrey gave him a thorough look over and asked "Is that truly possible?"

"At this point, yes. I have been working with another family to combine the businesses. I did the same thing with Lily, but with her father's death and his causing hers... I couldn't leave, won't be out completely but I can clear out most of my work." he said "Jason just had to quit working for me. We have been discussing what comes next."

After spending what for him was an extraordinary amount of time shopping, Jason found the perfect gift for Elizabeth. Having it wrapped, he was getting ready to leave the store when he heard Laura Spencer saying his girlfriends name. Wondering why the Spencers would be buying Elizabeth a gift, he quickly called Johnny O and had him do some looking around.

"Meet me at the studio." he told the guard before heading over there. He knew that Elizabeth was working on something, but she had refused to tell him what it was just blushing and promising to explain later. At the older building, he heard a thump on the staircase and rushed to find out what was going on. Stopping as his eyes saw his sister and his girlfriend, he tried but couldn't quite hid his grin as they were wrestling a tree up the stairs. "Ladies, do you want some help?"

"Jason!" he heard just before the tree slide back down the stairs and landed at his feet. Looking up worried about them, he saw the twosome standing there both with their hands on their hips glaring down at him. "Now look what you made us do."

"Em, to be honest... I couldn't hold it any longer." said an out of breath Elizabeth looking at her friend than the blond man below. "Besides, I think we killed it."

Seeing the branches that had fallen off, the pine needles now on the stairs, the two brunettes giggled as the spindly tall but sparse tree looked even worse for wear than when she they had bought it at the lot. "I guess you are right, but it would have looked so nice, dressed like you like your trees." said Emily as she sat down on the stair with her fists propping up her chin. Then her head came up and she said "Wait, Jason, don't throw it away, maybe we can save part of it."

"OOOOHHH like a Charlie Brown tree." said an excited Elizabeth as she rushed to her studio, returning with one of her artist knives. "Maybe we can save part of it."

Jason was worried as she eased her way down the stairs, then resigned when she handed him the sharp blade. "Jason, can you save any of my tree?"

Emily was behind her and couldn't help giggling. Didn't Elizabeth know that Jason would do anything and everything he could to save her tree, just because it belonged to her. "Stupid question, there Liz. Wait, I have to go and get you a pot."

Pushing past her brother she was muttering about green or red or even gold as she drove away without even saying goodbye.

"Thank you." said a blushing Elizabeth as she kissed Jason quickly then looked at her forlorn tree and couldn't help giggling. "I was planning on surprising you tonight with dinner here, but uh, Emily thought my studio needed a tree and well... you know what happened next."

Just as he was cutting off the larger part of the tree, they heard tires squealing and both quickly turned, worried only to see Emily rushing out with a large container. "Here, I have got to."

"But Em-" called out Elizabeth. "Wait, what is going on..."

Looking at his sister then seeing her wink, Jason said "I think she is trying to matchmake."

"But we are already a couple." she said then suddenly frowning looked up and asked "I mean... we haven't really... maybe you don't..."

Kissing her, Jason pulled her into his arms and said "Yes. I want, and yes, I do."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Elizabeth looked up into his eyes and said "There is something I want to ask you, but it can wait til later. Would you please help me take my tree upstairs, then maybe come back later?"

"Why don't I stay and help you decorate, then go home and shower." he asked quietly. "We can have dinner later and you can ask me whatever it is that is bothering you."

Ten minutes later, they had gotten rid of the rest of the tree while Jason carried the small now potted tree to her studio. When she pulled out the paper and began cutting it, the blond found himself gluing the pieces together under her supervision. Groaning as he controlled his need to kiss the lip she was biting as she tried to make the ends perfect, he looked around and said "You have been busy since I saw you earlier."

Her head popped up and with a grin, she announced. "I cleaned up, then had a sudden burst of inspiration then Emily came over and next thing I know I am at St. Anne's buying a tree."

As she went back to cutting, she thought about it then asked "We need a star, or should it be an angel?"

Thinking they already had an angel, he smiled as she looked up at him. "What would you prefer?"

Sighing, she said "That is just it, I don't know."

When they had finished everything else, he saw her with the paper, then crumbling it up, she tossed it in the trash then started to pace. "Elizabeth, what is it?"

Her face fiery red, she said "Why do you always stop us before we go any further than kissing, do you not want me? Is it because I don't know what I am doing?"

"WHAT?" he asked shocked then reached out to tug her hand pulling her to the sofa. Once she was seated across his legs, he said "I stop us because I want this to be perfect, and yes, you have no idea how much I want you, but it is more than that, I love you."

"But I still don't know what I am doing." she stated. "I mean, all the other girls..."

"Don't compare." he said then added "Elizabeth, I mean, I do have experience with sex, but with us, it's different... it' called making love when you are doing what eventually we will."

"What is the difference?" she asked.

"I can only tell you that sex, well sex is satisfying a bodily function. Like eating. You can eat anything but somethings taste better than others." He could barely control where his mind was going with that one but he continued. "When it is making love, it's like when we kiss... it's one hundred times better and more intense. It's like chocolate for you."

Her head resting on his shoulder she said "I want to know, I want to know everything about it."

Kissing the top of her head, Jason replied "So do I. I think that is why I am worried. See, I have had sex, but I have never made love..."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jason and Elizabeth only heard their phones ringing as they came up for air. With a quick peck on her now bee-stung lips, Jason groaned the pulled out his cell phone. Looking at it, he glared thinking that Sonny had better have a very good reason to be annoying him when he realized he still heard a ring tone.

Elizabeth answered hers without looking at the caller ID and said "Emily, call back later."

"Elizabeth?" asked the older woman on the other end. "It's Monica, I am sorry to call, Emily said you were working on something important but I really need your help with tomorrow."

"Sure, whatever you need." she asked then groaned and said laughing. "Why do I feel ambushed?"

The blond on the other end, laughed self consciously then asked "Would I do that?"

"To get elves, yes, yes you would." she moaned then looked at her boyfriend who didn't see so relaxed at the moment. "I have to go, but I will be there tomorrow, with bells on."

"Skip the bells, wear the Santa Hat." said the woman hanging up as she heard the younger girl growling.

With a soft smile, she hung up the phone and saw her daughter in law entering. "Elizabeth said yes."

"I don't want to know how you tricked her. Emily is up in her room plotting dark deeds, something about taking back her Christmas present for you." then turning when she heard the door opening saw her husband with their two children. "Michael, I have a surprise for you."

While AJ carried in the baby, Michael stumbled on unsteady feet as he approached her. "Da."

Sighing she looked at Monica and said "Da and JaJa are all he says. I would give a box of dark chocolate up for some version on my name."

Monica patted her on the shoulder then verified they were coming to the party the next day. As she went to check in on Lila, she would have sworn she saw Lucky Spencer slipping past the French doors. Shaking it out of her head, she went upstairs and saw her husband leaving his mother's room with their daughter.

"Mom, how do you feel about a costume." said her daughter with a wicked grin.

Meanwhile Sonny had hung up the phone after all but ordering Jason to come to his penthouse with Elizabeth.

"Is there a problem?" asked Jeff when the man had returned to the seating area.

Not sure he wanted to tell the man that he had the feeling Jason and Elizabeth had had their own very intimate plans for the evening, he just said darkly and with a pouting tone "They are coming over after eating dinner, I offered to cook but apparently Elizabeth prefers a greasy hamburger with chili over my pasta."

"Aw, poor baby. Sonny, if you like cooking for everybody so much, why don't you just open a damn restaurant." snapped Alexis who saw Jeff's expression of shock.

Sonny thought about it then with a sly grin said "Maybe I will, as my attorney why don't you look into what I need to file in order to do that."

Audrey pulled Jeff off to the side then asked why he had lied to her all those months ago about Elizabeth's biological mother.

"That was part of the whole plan with Carolyn, if anyone asked why Elizabeth was so close in age with Sarah." he said with a heavy sigh. "I am sorry Audrey. Things got out of hand, I just wanted to protect her. I asked to be there when Sonny talks to Rick, I have a few issues with what my brother pulled, not the least of which is Sarah."

Alexis agreed to help Sonny then asked Jeff to follow her over to her place for a private word. He felt his heart racing as his skin became clammy while doing as she requested. Looking out the window, he gave a heavy sigh then said "I used to live here years ago, back when this was mainly hospital housing."

"This suite?" she asked him as she sat down.

"No, two floors below. I was scared of heights at the time and used living here to cure myself." he replied then sat down on the chair before taking a deep breath and looking at her. "God, there are no words that can ever express what I feel about what happened that night."

Alexis felt a sense of relief as she came to realize she didn't blame him. "No, I mean, you in a way saved me from a fate worse than death."

"I raped you." he whispered hoarsely.

"No, actually I think what happened between us, more like qualifies as both of us being raped." she said sadly. When he shook his head no, she took a deep breath, reached out for his hands and said "Yes, there is no way you would have done what was done to me, you tried to refuse even after Helena was going to kill you. You only did what you did AFTER she threatened to kill me."

"Doesn't change the outcome." he replied.

"Actually think about it, you did change the outcome. I just don't get why Helena chose you, or how she knew about you, yet nothing was ever done about it, later. She is the Queen of blackmail." Alexis pointed out sadly.

"I can still hear her taunting you, asking if you were enjoying yourself." he replied sick. "I have to ask is that why you changed your name, from Natasha to Alexis."

Looking at him, she said "No, that was to disappear from my family. Helena sliced my mother's throat, she killed my baby sister, all out of jealousy and a need to win."

There was silence in the room before Alexis looked at him and asked "I heard your explanations about Elizabeth, they aren't good enough for me. I am so angry at you for abandoning her, mainly because she thinks that it was because of something she did. That her acting like a typical teenager is why you don't love her anymore."

Jeff looked up in shock then said "Don't love... that is why I walked away. I never wanted my children, my little girls to know what I had done. I was always scared, always worried that at some point, someone was going to come and demand retribution for what I did to you."

"When you get some time, you have to tell Elizabeth that." she said then asked "We need to figure out what we do from here on out, because I am not walking away from our daughter and if you try to I will kill you." Jeff got the feeling from how calmly she said it, she wasn't kidding.

Meanwhile Jason thanked Johnny for delivering the food he had had to order from the Port Charles Grill. "What happened to Kelly's? Elizabeth said even with Bobbie for an owner she was still going to eat the chili."

With a low chuckle the Irish guard said "Edward and Ned happened. First Edward opened up a nice little diner over on Chestnut, I still want to know how he got that through the Health department that quickly then Ned hired away the manager of Kelly's to run it. Then AJ, well AJ and his wife got the Health department to come in and inspect. Turns out the bathrooms aren't up to code."

"Bathrooms?" he asked then got what that was about. "Let me guess, the tenants are staying at the Port Charles Hotel, on his dime."

"Oh, I am sure that Bobbie and Luke are wishing they were, but instead they are being required to put them up elsewhere. Spencer had a cow when the inspectors told him that they had to pay for comparable housing elsewhere. The only ones available are those brand spanking new studios that Jacks enterprises built last year. At one and half times the cost for as long as it takes to rip out the plumbing."

Shaking his head at the Quartermaine antics, he quickly told Elizabeth who frowned then laughed when he quickly mentioned that Edward had pretty much hired the entire Kelly's staff. As he handed her their dinner, he saw the salad and asked with a frown why she was eating it.

"Because with Sonny already in a tiff, this way when he asks I can say that part of my dinner was healthy." she said with a grin even as she lifted the double decker cheeseburger and took a bite. Settling on the other end of the sofa, Jason and she discussed what else they wanted to do in the future.

"How about a wish list?" she asked. "You first, five things you want to do in the next three years."

Thinking on it. He said "Be with you." then added married to you in his head stunned to realize how quickly his mind went there with her.

"Okay, number two." she asked as she took another bite. When he insisted on her giving up one, she stated to parrot what he had said only for him to from and tell her that was a given for both of them. Glaring but giving up when he just lifted his eyebrow she said "Be with you, but in the biblical sense."

Almost choking on his sandwich, he blushed then said "Okay, then how about we switch gears. Uh, I am thinking on starting some sort of security firm."

"Well I want to finish college, but I guess that is a given too." she said trailing off.

"No, that one counts." he replied. "I uh, I want to find a place for us, together."

"Okay, I like that one." she said. "My turn. I uh... I uh... I guess I want to figure out how we blend our families. Sonny for you and well everyone I consider family... well except my real one."

"I like that one." he said quietly then said "Especially since part of my family is your family."

Grinning at him, she decided to go for one that might not work. "I want to learn to ride when you get a new bike."

Leaning over, he kissed her then said "Not in this lifetime or the next."

Looking at the clock, he glared then said "We have to go. I promised Sonny we would meet him at Seven."

Returning to the other penthouse, Jeff stopped them outside the door and not noticing the guards in the stairwell asked. "Are you and Mr. Corinthos involved. I understand if it is none of my business but if he is going to be Elizabeth's step fat-"

Alexis let out peels of laughter as they entered the dark penthouse then with a giggle as she tried to regain control said "Sonny? Are you kidding, not in this lifetime. I love him as a client and even as a friend but seriously, no. I mean... just no."

"I think I am offended." said the Cuban from the doorway to his kitchen where he was wearing an apron. "Mrs. Hardy, should I be offended?"

Hiding her grin, the elderly lady looked between them then said "No, because I can't see it either."

"Food will be on the table in a few minutes." he said as he walked back to the kitchen while Alexis mouthed "I told you so" to Audrey.

Sonny went to the door and ordered in Max and Francis to eat while telling Marco he drew short straw and would have to eat later. The good natured guard just shrugged and said to tell Max not to eat all the bread before going back to his post.

As they ate dinner, Sonny and Jeff told the women their plan for confronting Rick. "I also want to know what Sarah is up with your nephew."

Thinking on it, Alexis added "And why was Nik suddenly talking to Elizabeth a couple of months ago. She thought it was strange because other than when Sarah was around they never said two words to each other."

"Even when she was here, they didn't have much to say to one another." stated Francis. When they all looked at him he said "You all know that Jason had guards on her, after the attack. I was one of them. There is something else to add to this, Jason overheard Laura talking about buying Elizabeth a Christmas gift today."

"Spencer?" asked Audrey in shock. "Well that is strange. What did she chose for her, maybe they meant Sarah?"

"No, it was an art set. You know one of those beginner sets like you would get for a teenager first starting out." replied Max. "Bernie found it on her credit card receipts."

"We have enough to worry about, we can just deal with that one later." said Sonny just as they heard a quiet knock on the door. When Jeff looked up at the entering couple, his heart stopped then broke. "Oh my god, you look just like your mother at your age."

Blinking and in shock, Elizabeth stopped her forward movement while Jason pulled her close then looked at the man with his ice blue eyes and said "What are you doing here?"

"Jason, I was hoping to catch you two before you got here." said Sonny looking down at his watch as he got that it was already seven and cursed. "I grabbed him, but mid-air it became voluntary."

Rejecting Sonny's offer of food, Alexis and Jeff both pushed their plated back, the Tortellini Bolognese sitting on their stomachs. Audrey just gently ushered them into the seating area then with a worried glance poured a glass of the single malt scotch and handed it to her granddaughter.

"My dear, I am afraid you are going to need that in a few minutes." she said then looking at Alexis said "I was worried about something so I ran a DNA test on you."

"I am not a Webber, am I?"she asked her voice trembling.

"Well, not actually I mean but Jeff isn't either, I mean he is really a Hardy, like you." she relied then was horrified as she realized she had made Elizabeth burst into tears. "Oh, I am so doing this wrong."

Fretting and twisting her hands, she took a sip of Elizabeth's drink then stood to pace.

Jason looked at his now former boss and said "Sonny, what is going on here?"

Knowing that the others were too emotionally wrought to hand this, Sonny sat down then said "Elizabeth, Jeff is your father, but he was unaware of that fact until a few hours ago."

"So that excuses his behavior?" snapped Jason glaring at the older man.

"No, let me tell you everything, it is a long convoluted story and some of us don't want to tell you all of it, but I think that is the best thing." replied the short dark haired man. Sitting on his coffee table in front of Elizabeth, he held the highball glass out to her and said "Take a sip every time you feel the need to question me, okay?"

Nodding, she sat there as he said "First of all, according to DNA tests ran. Alexis Davis is your mother."

Elizabeth took a gulp as she looked over at the uptight woman and saw her fear. With a slight smile and look of confusion, she listened as Sonny told her what they knew about her birth but not about her conception.

At the end, Jason went over and found the tequila, drinking a sip himself. Sonny then told her how she ended up with her biological father, about Sarah being Rick's and then with a sideways glance at Jeff about what Carolyn had done in regards to the trust fund.

At that point, Audrey poured more scotch into the nearly empty glass as Sonny then told her the most difficult part. When her eyes widened and she stared at her father then Alexis, before bursting into tears, Jason glared at all of them. Picking her up, he snapped out. "Alexis, we are using your guest room, if there is anything else, forget about it. She didn't need to know this, why the hell are you telling her."

"Because Helena is in town and we think she is up to something." said Alexis wiping her own tears as her daughter couldn't even look at her. Jeff had always known how his little girl would react to finding out the truth about him, so he was able to hold it together slightly more than the lawyer.

"If she or any other member of that branch of Cassadines even looks sideways at Elizabeth I will kill them, so don't worry about it." he said coldly as Francis opened the door for him. Stopping in the entrance way where he held his now numb girlfriend he added "Sonny after Elizabeth is asleep, I am returning and I want all of it. Then you had better damn well have a plan."

Hearing first his door than Alexis' door slam, Sonny looked at them and said "That went well."

Seeing their open mouth glares he said "We are still alive, Jason didn't shoot any of us."

Next door, Jason gently laid down a still Elizabeth. Settling down next to her he asked "Do you want to talk about what we just learned?"

Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Jason then started sobbing as she recalled all that she had heard. "My dad raped my mother, what is there to talk about?"

Holding her, rubbing her back as she drenched first his shirt then turning to the pillow, screamed into it.

Feeling Jason tense, she then said in a small voice. "I heard what they said to Sonny, I heard that Alexis doesn't blame Jeff, but how do I deal with this? How do I get past this, how do I feel whole again?"

Kissing her as she laid half on top of him and half on the bed, Jason just said "What happened, Elizabeth none of that reflects on you. You didn't do anything wrong. Helena did this."

"Alexis must hate to see me, to know that I am..."

"No, I could never hate you. I don't hate your father either." said the woman in the doorway wiping away the tears. Stepping in, she ignored Jason's expression then said "Elizabeth, even before I knew you were my daughter, I loved you. Nothing will ever change that. You heard what happened, if your father hadn't done what he did, it would have been so much worse... he saved my life."

Shaking her head, sick at the thought, Elizabeth looked at her and asked "How did you get past it?"

Sighing, Alexis sat down on the farthest corner of the bed then stated "I didn't, not for years. First I went back to school, kept my head down, working things out in my head. I never hated Jeff, never blamed him for what happened, even then."

"Then when I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified, but then the first time you kicked..." Elizabeth saw her smile and felt a sense of awe at what she saw on the older woman's face. "You became real to me. When I was told you were dead, it destroyed me. I vowed to make them pay. Then Mikkos was dead, and all I had was Helena to take out. I tried, but missed. I swear, I won't let her harm you. I couldn't live with myself if she did."

Elizabeth looked at the woman and saw the resemblance between them. "I can't believe how much we do look alike."

With a slow smile, Alexis said "I spent years in therapy dealing with your loss, and when Sonny and Audrey were discussing where you had been born. I had hope for the first time in years. There is a lot to discuss, a lot we have to figure out but I hope in the end, well I hope you don't mind having me for a mother."

Meanwhile Jeff and Sonny had decided to confront Rick that evening. Heading over to his apartment building they were waiting outside when they saw him leaving in his late model sedan. As he drove to the police commissioner's house, they saw he was being followed by yet another car, this one a luxury sedan.

When they saw the luxury sedan peel off as Rick entered the empty house, Sonny looked at his driver and said "Where is Scorpio?"

"He took the girls to New York, they are due back tomorrow." he replied after a quick call to Bernie.

Waiting outside, they heard the gunshot and Sonny watched as a blond man rushed out followed by Lucky Spencer. "Fuck."

"What?" asked Jeff frowning when he saw the sleazy attorney.

"That is a dead man following Scott Baldwin." he replied then heard another gunshot from down the street. "This isn't good."

As the police came, Sonny was glad they were in a nondescript car as they quietly passed the cars coming at them with lights and sirens. At the penthouse, Sonny called his inside men then swore as he hung up the phone. "I am sorry to say that they only found Scott in the neighbors yard."

"Rick is out there, can your men find him?" asked Jeff.

"No, they can't look. Not yet. Scott's death is being investigated, we have to wait." he replied as there was a knock on the door. Seeing Johnny and Jason entering he said "We have a problem. Someone else just took a shot at Webber, and you aren't going to believe who it was?"

"I don't have time for riddles tonight, Sonny." he snapped.

"Lucky Spencer, the same man who died in your garage."

Swearing, Jason sat down then said "What now?"

Telling him what they had kept from Elizabeth, about Sarah and the dark haired man, they saw Alexis entering looking exhausted but happier. The woman looked at the photos for the first time, then asked for a magnifying glass. "NO! Oh god no!"

"Alexis?" asked Sonny as she seemed to rock back and forth. "What is it?"

"I know what they wanted, I know who that is and you have no idea what the hell is going on here. That is my late brother Stavros. Nik's father and the one man on this earth as evil as Helena." she whispered. "What is going on here?"

It was an uneasy group that finally went to find bed, Jason was soon curled up with Elizabeth while Alexis tried to sleep but instead paced back and forth in her room as she tried to put everything together. Sonny was asleep in his room, his mind going back into his past yet again while Audrey had gone home against everyone's wishes.

She was hoping that Sarah would show up, she knew the blond was in trouble and that she had the sense to come to someone for help. Meanwhile Jeff had asked the guard to take him back to the house where his brother had once live only instead to to head to the docks.

Looking out across the harbor he said to the man "Do you feel it?"

"The malevolence emitting from that place?" he asked then nodded yes. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and yet that place looks as dark and scary as ever."

The next day, Elizabeth called Emily and agreed to meet her friend at the hospital to help make sure the patients on the peds ward had a good Christmas. Her mind wouldn't stray far from what she had learned the night before but she needed the time to think things through, to figure it out. Jason understood and he let her go with two guard while he kept his ears to the ground.

Good thing because when Mac Scorpio returned home, he found a very large bleach stain on his carpet. Calling the station, he heard what had gone on next door and said "Send a team to my house."

Packing up the girls, he at first thought about sending them to Bobbie's but sighed as he recalled that they had been having issues every since Carly's arrest. Taking them to the Quartermaine's, he loathed to ask but found instead that Emily was more than willing to take them to GH with her. "We are meeting with Elizabeth."

Taking Monica and Alan to the side, he told him what he had found only for Alan to tense then say "I think I know who your victim is."

Seeing the man's interest, he said "Rick Webber, he used to live in that house. We had a meeting with him this morning, he never showed up and we saw him talking, rather arguing with Scott Baldwin yesterday."

"About what?" asked Mac as he pulled out his small notebook and wrote all they said down.

"I heard the name Spencer and figured it was about Laura, after all Rick was her stepfather and Scott was married to her. That is the only connection I know about." said Monica who added "Rick has been acting strange lately. He uh, we used to be involved and he was rather well pushing for the same again. When I told him no..."

Alan hated to admit it, he didn't want to be suspect number one but said it anyhow. "I pulled him off of her, then decked him. He swore he would destroy me, threatened to use the hospital to do it. Claimed he had inside stuff on the HMO takeover attempt. We scotched that yesterday and he was furious. I have never seen him so angry."

Closing his notebook, Mac thanked them for the information then asked "I hate to ask but where were you last night."

Giving him a rundown on their evening, they saw him nod as he walked out the door calling Taggert. "I want all you can find on Rick Webber's visit to Port Charles."

At GH, Elizabeth found herself relaxing and enjoying the time she was spending with Emily and the Jones girls. As they took flowers to patients, candy to others and even grabbed a few candy stripers to sing Christmas Carols badly. When AJ showed up with his two sons, he was amused that Michael went straight for Elizabeth. As his son grabbed her hair, he teased the younger woman about the red head's obsession with her.

As she slowly separated the grimly fingers from her hair, she saw Jason coming over then hesitate until AJ beckoned him. Michael laughed and giggled but when he called AJ da, she saw the slight expression of pain on Jason's face and eased her boyfriend away quickly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I always knew that was going to happen, it just hurts a bit. I am happy for them, both of them." he said then hugging her said "When do you have to change into this infamous elf costume?"

Looking at her watch, she yelped then said "I have to go."

With a lingering kiss she gave him a smirk and said "Mistletoe." as she left.

Jason walked to where the various denizens of the hospital and the town were gathering. When his girl friend came in escorting Santa after Alan had read the story of the first Christmas, Jason waited until everyone's eyes were on the man in the costume and pulled off her hat. Teasing her by holding it just over her head, he saw the moment her eyes shifted and looked around to see his family watching them.

"Aha." she shouted in triumph as she got the red felt hat back from him. "I win this round."

Leaning down, he whispered "But in the end, I win the battle, because you are coming home with me."

Feeling eyes on her, she turned and saw the expression on Nicolas Cassadine's face. Shivering she pointed it out to Jason who frowned at the man until he withered and left them alone. "What was that about?"

Worried, Jason called Sonny over and gave his boss a heads up while Audrey slipped over to Monica planning on telling her their holiday plans. Instead she was caught behind the hub only to eavesdrop in on a whispered conversation. Her eyes widening, she went to find someone to help but felt a hand cover her mouth. "Mrs. Hardy, please let me handle this."

Stunned when she heard Mac Scorpio, she nodded that she understood then quickly left the area while the cop made a call, his hands shaking. The person on the other end agreed to what he had suggested then asked "Can you get us into town without anyone noticing?"

Meanwhile Mrs. Hardy made a call of her own. "Jeff, let me speak to the guard with you."

Francis took the phone and listened. "Thanks, I will let Sonny and Jason know."

Back at the towers later that evening, they discussed this latest development. "Let me get this straight... Lucky is alive and with Sarah?" asked Jeff. "Why? After all that went down, why would either one of them want to be together?"

"The part that has me worried is this idea that Nik thinks that means Elizabeth and he should be together." said Alexis with a heavy sigh.

"We just tell them that Nik and she are cousins, that should scotch that." said Jeff. "I mean, your brother should be reasonable, Stefan that is."

With a sad sigh, Alexis replied. "You would think but Helena is Mikkos first cousin. They wouldn't object."

Elizabeth had sat silently as they talked about her and what her grandmother had overheard. "What I don't get is Laura Spencer, why would she get me a present? Why would she or ANY Spencer go along with this?"

"I don't think she is." said Sonny lifting his head. "My guess is that it went something like Nik telling her he likes you and then Laura expecting that to mean you like him. What we need to do is talk to Luke and her, tell them that Elizabeth is a Cassadine."

Alexis lifted her head then took out her cell phone. "Luke?"

The man on the other end looked around at the sad family scene with Laura and Lulu sitting there talking to Bobbie who was still upset about Carly being in jail. She had pissed Tony off so badly the man had taken Lucas to Tennessee.

"What can I do for you this holiday season, Natasha?" he drawled.

"I found my daughter." she heard him choke then added. "Helena is trying to pair her off with Nicolas. And more importantly I have seen someone who looks like Lucky."

Tensing up, he clipped out. "Where?"

"The night that Scott killed Rick Webber." she said then added. "Look, we know how phones can be bugged. Where can we meet?"

Luke's mind raced then said "What about the Haunted Star?"

"Helena more than likely has it bugged." she said. "Someplace else?"

"Kelly's." replied the man as he went to get his coat. Turning to his wife, he said "That was Alexis, Helena is up to her usual nonsense and she needs me to go meet her. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes." she replied then added. "I only wish you were going to be here later, Nik was going to tell me his plans for courting Elizabeth."

"Laura, she is involved with Morgan, I really doubt he will let her go." he said trying gently to make her see that it was all in Nik's mind. Unfortunately he was well aware that his sister in her determination to fix things for that daughter of hers was making things worse. Walking out the door, he got the feeling that someone was watching him and just whipped whatever man Corinthos had on him the bird.

Meanwhile the rest scrambled as they hurried to arrive at Kelly's before Luke and without the Cassadines finding out. Jason and Sonny had agreed to stay out of sight while Jeff was going to be with Alexis as she confronted Luke. They needed to know how much the man knew before dealing with him.

At the station, Taggert looked at the results then swearing called his boss. "It's a match, now what?"

"Felecia just showed up tonight, I will be down after I talk to her." he replied then went to check on his daughters and his ex-wife who acted like her showing up out of the blue was no big deal. Making sure the presents were under the tree, he went to tell her he had to see Taggert at the station.

Hearing her heavy sigh, he snapped. "We can talk when I return. Felicia, you need to spend more time with our girls, they need to know that their mom is going to be a constant presence in their life."

At the station, Taggert looked at his boss and said "So Spencer is alive? What do you think? Did he kill Rick Webber and why?"

"No, I think Baldwin killed Webber but I think someone else, covered it up. I also think that Lucky killed Baldwin to cover up whatever is going on." he relied. "Did Capelli give you the DD5's from the car that went over the cliff this morning?"

"No, he is still writing them up, but it is pretty much a clear cut case of Drinking and driving in a stolen car, why?"

"I would bet it was staged to look like that. My guess is that the body will turn out to be the missing Webber man. There is one more thing, you know Elizabeth Webber, right?"

Seeing his sober expression, Mac continued then told him. "I think that Nik is in the middle of this."

"We need to get on that Island." said Taggert just as the desk sergeant popped in. "Sir, your wife is on the phone hysterical, I can't understand her."

Mac picked up the phone, turned white then said "Felecia, I am on my way."

Hanging up he said to his lead detective. "Two men, pushed their way in and grabbed the girls from their beds. Felecia was knocked out and just came to, she has no idea how long ago."

AT Kelly's, Luke was crossing the courtyard when he heard what he thought was a call for help but when he went to the docks he saw the boat pulling away and just dismissed it as someone telling the other man to help with the lines.

In Kelly's, he saw Alexis talking to a tall blond and thought he looked familiar. "Alexis, what do you know?"

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth Webber is my daughter." she stated baldly then saw Luke look at the blond and sneer.

"I thought you looked familiar, Jeff, right?" he said then turned to Alexis and said "Why does this involve me and what do you know about Lucky?"

"It's all connected. Luke, Stavros is alive." she said. When she saw the man turn white, she added. "Helena is interested in my daughter, wants her with Nik."

"That is because he wants her for some reason." he said absentmindedly then his head came up. "Webber, your brother has been spending a lot of time in the basements of GH, now we have a dead man alive, do you think it is a coincidence?"

"No, I don't because Stavros Cassadine doesn't look a day older than when you shoved him into that pit." replied Alexis as Jeff agree. "And I think that Nik and Lucky are in the middle of this. Sarah Webber left Switzerland in the company of Nik, Luke."

"What? Why?" He hates her for what she said about Lucky after his death and during that trial." said Luke just as they heard a scream. Hurrying to the other side, they saw a dark haired man holding Elizabeth while Jason was bleeding on the ground.

"Not another step, Spencer." said the man while a blond stepped from the shadows. There was a gasp in the room as Lucky lifted his gun and held it on Luke.

When the man tried to entreat his son to drop it, Stavros gave a malicious smile then said "Protect your queen."

Lucky didn't even hesitate before shooting Luke then moving to the Greek's side. "Now I would accept Elizabeth Webber as lost if I were you."

When they went to disappear, Sonny's men rushed the scene. Elizabeth found herself tackled by her father while Johnny O'Brien shot the not so dead man. Lucky just stood there like a robot until Stavros screamed "Go protect your queen, protect her."

Suddenly the blond tried to rush Jeff, screaming to let go of his queen, that he had to release his queen or he would kill him. Alexis lifted the gun she picked up in all the confusion and went to shoot Lucky but Luke screamed no and stepped in front of the bullet as she fired.

From chaos there was sudden silence then madness as the police rushed in and the Cassadine goons along with Lucky disappeared. "Corinthos, what is going on here?" shouted Mac. "Are my girls here?"

Turning to look at the police commissioner, he said "No, they just tried to kidnap Elizabeth."

Jeff stood helping up his daughter then looking around and dropping down to where she had knelt beside Jason. When she checked for the wound that was bleeding, she was glad to see the bullet on the ground behind him. "Dad, he needs help."

Reaching out for her hands, he grasped them and said "I know, let me take care of him for you."

Taggert moved over and said "I have a kit in my car."

Sonny, Alexis and Mac gave each other what they knew just as Laura rushed in with Bobbie. "Mac what is going on, we were told there was a shoot out at Kellys."

Laura stumbled as she saw the familiar coat and hair of her husband. Screaming, she turned on Sonny and shouted. "Did you do this, did you kill Luke, Sonny?"

The gangster looked at the screaming blond and said "No, the Cassadines did this and your son Lucky was right in the middle of it. Luke jumped in to save him in spite of your son trying to kill him."

"Lucky? He wouldn't hurt anyone." she said confused. "He's dead."

Hearing a groan, Elizabeth moved down next to Jason who said "My head hurts."

"You are going to be fine." said Jeff as he cleaned the bullet wound. "It's going to hurt like hell when you have to lift your arm for a while but otherwise it is only a flesh wound."

"Which makes me wonder..." said Mac looking around. "Why not kill him? If Elizabeth was the goal why not take out the most dangerous weapon around her? And why grab my daughters?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Jason saved Liz, but she never knew it...

Bobbie faces Elizabeth in court for firing her...

One hundred thousand dollars that Sarah stole from Elizabeth...

Rick woke up Starvos...

Chapter 5

On Spoon Island, Stavros sneered at his mother. "Your so called dangerous weapon was useless. He let Nik's bride escape and only Spencer is dead."

"Well, well, at least something was accomplished." drawled out Helena. "No thanks to you though. Now that Natasha has seen you, we are exposed. I told you, I told you to stay here, but no, you just could not listen to me."

"I wanted to see my wife." he snapped. "I went to see Lasha."

Rolling her eyes, Helena made a mental note to have Laura Spencer killed before her son threw away her grandsons future. Nik's wife, was the important one. This Elizabeth girl was who they needed. She had checked and found out that as a bonus, the girl was untouched.

Nik's wife wouldn't be a used up whore. Unlike the woman he had been sleeping with. She had soon put a stop to that. When she had learned that he had been using some base-born whore as a substitute, she had slowly manipulated things in order for him to see that having the real thing was much better.

Walking down the hallway, she saw the two girls being sent to a room. "Why are they here?"

"They caught me retrieving the ring, milady." said her guard. Andre handed it over then said "As an added bonus, they are perfect ways to control that bumbling police commissioner."

"Fine, but keep them out of my sight." she said then looking around asked "Where is the insipid blond?"

"Mr. Spencer is with her in a bedroom, ma'am. She drew him off earlier after Master Stavros yelled at him for not performing his duties."

"Keep an eye on my grandson, stop him from doing anything foolish. Then-"

The trembling woman approaching said "Madam, Miss Davis wants a meeting. She said here would do."

"NO, I will meet her... tell her I will meet her on the roof top at General Hospital." said Helena who then ordered Andre to keep Stavros away. "My son is forgetting who is running this family."

At the diner, things were finally under control. Bobbie had been horrified when the security tapes showed Lucky shooting her brother then tried to blame Elizabeth. Saying that if she had only gone with them, no one else would have been hurt.

Laura was in shock, the medics had pulled Mac off to the side and said "She is completely unresponsive, more than she should be. We are taking her to GH. The ME is transporting the body."

Mac was glad to get rid of everyone but Taggert who then said reluctantly. "I think that we have a problem. Mac, I heard Capelli on the phone earlier, assuring someone you would be at the station. I think whoever broke into your house was on the other end. There have been a few other conversations that haven't added up with what happened later. I as going to talk to you after the holidays."

"Mac, when are you going to go over there and bring Lucky back?" snapped Bobbie. "Who knows what is happening to him even as we speak."

"Lucky? Lucky is going to jail the minute I see him, for murder." pointed out Mac only for Bobbie to snap that Alexis was trying to kill him, that she should be the one arrested since she shot Luke. "Bobbie, go home, be supportive of your niece and your friend. Let me do my job."

When they finally got rid of her and Jason had been taken care of. Mac looked at him then said "Are you up to this?"

"It went through my arm, and not my shooting arm." he pointed out. Seeing Elizabeth's fear, he said "I can't leave you, don't ask me to."

Alexis mean while had been thinking about things and talking to Sonny. Looking up, she said "Wait, he wasn't talking about Helena as queen, he was talking about Elizabeth..."

"I get that." said Mac "I think we all do."

Alexis gave a slow grin in spite of the seriousness of the conversation. "Yes, but while Helena might accept that someday an unknown woman might replace her as queen, and a cousin as a wife, the last person she would accept is my mothers granddaughter."

"But you said cousins..." pointed out Jeff.

"Yes, but the queen bit, turned this into a whole new ball game." said Alexis as she pulled out her phone. Making a quick call, they were all convinced she had lost her mind until the woman on the other end agreed to meet.

"Mac, what about the girls?" asked Sonny. "Any idea what was going on there?"

"None, Felicia said she came too and they were gone and the house was trashed."

"What if she was looking for something, what if whatever was going on there between Scott and Rick Webber was why she or whoever was working for her went back?" asked Taggert who then glared at Sonny as he suddenly jumped up and said Taggert is right.

Alexis was waiting, hopeful that the security measures in place would keep her alive long enough to tell Helena that Nik's potential bride was her daughter. Looking around when she heard footsteps, she saw Helena's latest boy toy then the woman herself turn up.

"What right do you have to order me about? And why would you think this is any of your business?" snapped the elderly woman haughtily.

"Well, since it concerns my family, I am a part of this." said Alexis deliberately misleading the woman as she approaching her.

Helena looked at her with scorn and said "You are not a Cassadine, and are little more than my husbands misbegotten mistake."

"Oh, Helena, I am talking about this woman you are planning to have married off to Nik. As if pissing off the mob isn't enough..."

"I did some checking, they are only friends. And the mob, well, I am not scared of the mob."

"As I was saying as if pissing off the mob wasn't bad enough, to do so for a woman you won't want Nik to marry, seems foolish."

"Well, she isn't my first choice." admitted Helena. "She is at least a virgin and from well... at least she isn't a Spencer. I heard there is a step family connection, but she is Nik's choice. So I will except that."

"Really, I gather you didn't research her very well." said Alexis. Then having an idea asked "Wait, did you trust Rick Webber's assessment of her?"

"What do you know about Dr. Webber?" she asked a bit nervous now. "And why do you think anything you say would interest me?"

"What did Dr. Webber tell you about Elizabeth?" asked Alexis.

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I know that she is his brother's illegitimate daughter with some woman woman. The man has them coming out of the woodwork." Helena couldn't help smirking at how she had made Natasha's daughter into little more than a willing sex partner for Lucky Spencer. All it had taken was an offer of money and a promise to make her sister go away.

"Did Rick tell you that?" asked Alexis with a smirk. "Why the break in at the Scorpio house?"

"Scorpio house?" asked Helena thinking back to the man who had helped that bastard Luke defeat her husband.

"The police commissioner, his house was broken into by Rick Webber then your people took Mac Scorpio's daughters when they went back. What did Rick do? Or rather what did he fail to bring you?"

Helena was now sure that whatever she knew, Alexis had the upper hand. "The ring that Nik wants to offer his new bride."

"Funny, I just don't see my daughter wearing that tacky old thing." said Alexis letting the information drop. "Yes, MY daughter. The young woman that Nik is so eager to marry is the child you forced on me then stole away."

"No, your daughter is the blond. Like her father. The younger girl is..." Helene spun around and said "Andre we are leaving."

As they disappeared, Jason and Mac followed them to the basement then to the secret passageway. "Damn, so that is how they did it."

Looking around, Mac said "It's how they did a lot of things. My guess is that this is where that Stavros was kept. Look at the equipment." Lifting a file, he said "Webber actually signed the charts. What an ass."

As they all convened together, Sean Donnelly was arriving at the airport. Calling Mac, he said "Wait for me."

On the Island, Helena had Andre push his way into the room and grab the naked blond by her hair. Dragging her into the hallway, he asked "Where my queen?"

"The study, get everyone there, immiediately. I want the truth."

Telling Sarah to shut up, Andre obeyed his mistress. Soon Nik, Stavros, an unwilling Stefan and the rest were gathered. When Lucky showed up and stood behind Helena opposite Andre, Nik asked "Why is my future sister in law without clothes?"

"Because I loath liars." snarled Helena. "I want to know again my dear who is your father?"

"Jeff Webber, I told you that. I also told you what my mother told me. Elizabeth isn't fit to be a queen, she is little more than Rick's illegitimate child with some whore." she said then looking around asked "What is this about?"

"Call your mother, NOW!" ordered Helena handing her the phone. Sarah rolled her eyes then did as she was ordered. After telling her mother she was on speakerphone, Sarah was gagged by Andre. "Dr. Webber, I am going to kill the girl who isn't your daughter. So do I kill Sarah or Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth, she was the child forced upon my by my husband and his brother." replied Carolyn then said "What is this about?"

"You lied to me. I want to know the date, the real date Elizabeth came to live with you. Now, or I will still kill Sarah."

"May, she was brought to us in May, not November like I told you." she stuttered. "Don't hurt my daughter."

Hanging up, Helena paced back and forth before snapping. "My dear Nicolas, you need to chose a new bride."

"I am the Prince, it is not for you to tell me what to do." stated the Prince with a look at his father. "You answer to me."

"You don't understand, you can NOT marry that woman. She will not be an acceptable bride." said Helena.

"If I say I want her and that she will be, then there is no one to argue with me." he said then told his father. "We must retrieve her immediately before that thug has time to defile her."

Stavros didn't really care one way or another who Nik married, but right now... he was intrigued by his mother's panic. There were only two people that caused her to act that way and Luke Spencer was dead. "Mother, who is this Elizabeth?"

Helena said "Someone most unsuitable to be Nik's future wife..."

Stopping Nik from speaking, he said "Mother?"

"Natasha, she is Natasha's daughter." spit out Helena. Stavros remembered the story his mother had told him years ago and then looked at his son. "She is correct, you need to make a new choice."

"I am the Prince and it will be my choice or no one." said Nik. He was going to take everything from all who had ever opposed him, including the twosome even know bickering with one another.

As they argued, Sarah had finally figured out that her dream of being rich was fast falling apart. Walking backwards, she was almost to the door when she felt someone grab her by the neck. "Where do you think you are going? My mistress didn't say you could leave yet."

"I was planning on taking Lucky back to our room, this doesn't concern us." she said sweating slightly.

"Fine, you do that." said Andre as she took the brainwashed man with her. Once she had convinced him she was going to bath and show him a good time. Sarah slipped out through the bathroom door.


	6. Chapter 6

As they argued, Sarah had finally figured out that her dream of being rich was fast falling apart. Walking backwards, she was almost to the door when she felt someone grab her by the neck. "Where do you think you are going? My mistress didn't say you could leave yet."

"I was planning on taking Lucky back to our room, this doesn't concern us." she said sweating slightly.

"Fine, you do that." said Andre as she took the brainwashed man with her. Once she had convinced him she was going to bath and show him a good time. Sarah slipped out through the bathroom door. With a wicked grin, she went to where the two young girls were looked in and opened the door.

"My sister needs medicine." said Georgie belligerently to the blond. "We have to get her home."

"Well, you are in luck. I am going to set you free." said Sarah who then watched as the seven and ten year olds left the room and stopped.

"How are we to go home?" asked Georgie a bit scared but refusing to show it while Maxie was shivering, they hadn't given them blankets in that unheated room.

"That way, there are tunnels, I will distract them, I promise." she said then watched as they followed her directions. Sneering at how gullible they were, she hurried back to the man room. "Excuse me."

Softly yet again, she said "I saw those girls, they were heading down towards the boats."

Andre heard her, and then got his Queen's attention. The foursome stopped arguing then Nik said "Go and find them, they have seen my face and know they are on my Island. Go, go, go! All of you. Wait, except you." he said to his father.

Meanwhile, Sarah was amused to be told to track them down as well. This worked out well in her plan to escape this stupid place, there was no way she was going to be a handmaiden to that witch Elizabeth, no way now how. No matter what that elderly crone thought.

Georgie meanwhile had ducked into a bedroom further down the hall. The blond had had cruel eyes and she didn't really trust her. Checking the closet, she sighed in relief when she saw sweaters. Handing one to Maxie who slipped it on she grabbed a different one for herself. "They were talking, that mean woman and the man who grabbed us about tunnels, to General Hospital. WE have to find them."

Maxie nodded, she was starting to tire. It was almost dawn on Christmas morning and she had been feeling sick since they had drugged her. Plodding along behind Georgie, she saw they were heading into the basement where her sister ducked into a crevice when she saw two men coming out a hole in a wall.

"There, that is how we get out of here. GH is North, I saw it from our window." said Georgie while Maxie grinned when they got in to the darkness. "Georgie, I found flashlights."

"Yes." said the little girl as they started walking, her feet growing cold. She didn't say anything though, knowing that Maxie was really feeling sick and would offer up her slippers that she still had on. "Turn off the light."

When she was about to protests, Maxie heard the same footsteps. "Georgie what do we do? There is no place to hide."

"Go against the wall, maybe they won't see us." she said desperately as the two silent men came creeping towards them. She was terrified and shaking with nerves when she found herself sniffing in an attempt to hold back tears.

Suddenly she frowned when the two men started to move closer... then she narrowed her eyes and her heart lifted in excitement, but just in case, she kept quiet... then the man was about two feet away and she silently screamed in joy as she threw herself at the man. "Jason, is that you?"

Mac froze, then said "Georgie?"

Turning to the other man, she started to shout then felt Maxie throw herself at their dad. Hugging Jason as Mac hugged Maxie, she said "Can we go home now?"

Mac nodded then said "We have to be quiet, okay?"

Jason lifted the younger Jones girl in his good arm then told Mac "She is is my right arm."

Getting the message, Mac made sure that Maxie was in his non-shooting arm and they turned and quickly went back towards the hospital. A half hour in, Jason suddenly realized that Georgie was shivering then took his gloves out of his pocket and placed them on her feet. Listening as the younger girl giggled, he said to Mac, "We should be there soon."

Sure enough, Taggert and a few others were waiting just as they returned to the hospital room. Mac took one look at Maxie and handed his daughter off to Jeff Webber who asked if she had been ill. Hearing about the heart transplant, the doctor rushed off with the younger girl and said for someone to call Monica and have her meet them on the way up the stairs.

Meanwhile heavily armed guards surrounding her as she waited with her boyfriend's parents in the chief of staff's office, Elizabeth listened as Sonny and Alexis took turns telling them all they knew. Getting the call, Monica just said Maxie before rushing off to help.

Jason carried Georgie into the room while Mac called the station where Sean and Felicia were waiting and manning the phones. As the blond rushed to see her daughter, Georgie was telling Jason and Elizabeth all about her adventure then innocently asked "Did Santa Claus come?"

Sonny nodded yes, then left the room feeling old at the way the young girl seemed more worried about a man in a red suit than that armed men had grabbed her and her sister. Seeing Jeff Webber waiting while Alan explained to Felicia was was going on. "We are concerned about hypothermia. I took Georgie's temp before we left, and checked her over discreetly, she is fine. A bit cold and tired but fine."

Monica came out of the room, took off her mask and said "She is warming up nicely. So far there appears to be no damage but we are going to have to monitor her closely over the next few days."

Meanwhile Sean had sent one of his divers over to the Island. The man was getting the recon needed when he saw the blond trying to escape. Deciding that she might have information they could use, he hesitated when he saw the two stopping her. "Sarah, where do you think you are going? Do you really think those girls got this far? The one wasn't wearing shoes."

"Lucky, she can borrow shoes." snapped Sarah before moving closer to the cliff's edge. Finally Lucky moved over next to her and lifted his binoculars grumbling that this was a waste of time. With a good shove, Sarah pushed him over into the water fifty feet below. Turning to run, she saw the outline of a man and panicked only for him to announce. "Come with me, if you want to be safe."

Stealing a boat, he knew the minute he started the engine they would be found out, so lifting the canisters in it, he tossed them towards the island. "Help me, we need to get rid of some of this weight."

Sarah and he were soon speeding away just as shots were fired. "they are shooting at us..."

"I noticed." snarled the man as they hit his tank that had been left behind on the pier. Calling his boss, Sean went over to where Mac was talking to Monica and said "There were blast doors in the basement right?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked then swore. "We need to close them."

Taggert and a few of the agents were sent down to lock and close both sets of blast doors then Sean made a decision. Calling back his man he asked "Did you manage to set the blast caps?"

"Yes, should I set it off?" he asked then hearing the answer, said "I have that blond you told me to be on the look out for.

"Do it." said Sean as he moved to the window. Expecting a medium size blast he watched as the night sky was lit up bright enough to convince you it was noon. "How much did you use?"

The man docking felt the ground trembling and larger waves hitting the shore. "Just what you told me. Crap, those barrels."

Looking at the blond he said "What was in the barrels we tossed off?"

"Just fertilizer, they were seeding something." she said shrugging his question off. "So, can I go find my family?"

At the hospital, Elizabeth and the others watched as Spoon Island seemed to tremble then collapse in on itself. Hearing Alexis gasp, she moved over to her mother. "What is it?"

"Stefan, I don't know how involved he was with this, but we were close once." she said sadly as she embraced Elizabeth. When Jason arrived into the room, he saw them along with Georgie standing there watching as the fire raged and seemed to sink into the harbor.

Turning, Elizabeth went over and fiercely hugged Jason. "Thank god you weren't there. What was that?" 

"Tentatively, they think it was the same stuff that took down that courthouse in Oklahoma." he said grimly. "Looks like the Cassadines were intending to grab you and level Port Charles."

Horror stricken, Elizabeth looked at him and said "What?"

On Spoon Island, Nik died instantly, his face swelling and gripping his throat unable to breath while Stefan had shot Stavros thinking that the explosion was a diversion, then furious to realize that there was no escape. Helena and her man were running through the tunnels, but felt the fire coming towards them. There was a sudden groaning and then the tunnel in front of them crumbled.

There was no going back and no going forward. The evil queen died 800 fathoms under the Port Charles Harbor, her only company a dying man. Meanwhile Lucky had swam towards Port Charles. Floating up to the docks, a blond young woman with strong arms pulled him out of the water.

Taking him back to her hide away, she thought to herself what a wonderful Christmas gift, a man of her very own...

Christmas morning dawns and Sean sent people in hazmet suits out to the Island while dealing with the screaming of Bobbie Jones who said she was going to sue them for letting her nephew die, that she had warned them he was on that Island and to bring him home safe.

Mac had ignored the whole situation and took home his girls. Maxie was going to need some care for a while mainly as a precaution but Monica had agreed to let her celebrate the holidays with her family. Alexis had gone home to her penthouse, mourning her lost brother... while Sonny had been making decisions.

Elizabeth woke up nice and cozy in her studio apartment. Smiling when she saw her tree with a few presents underneath it, she realized she didn't hear Jason. Then there was the sound of keys in the door and he was standing there with snow in his hair and a soft smile on his face. "Hey, I thought I would be back before you were up. Stay there." he said then came over and set up the picnic basket.

As she gave a joyful giggle, he said "I woke Sonny up, asked him to cook breakfast for us. I have never seen a grown man so excited to get up out of bed and do a chore."

"What are we eating this morning?" she asked then added "Happy Christmas, Jason."

Leaning in, he said "I love you and Happy Christmas to you." Taking out the diced fruit and the thermos of hot cocoa and one of coffee, he handed her the warming tray with an omelet for her and then showed her the muffins Sonny had included. "We have enough food we can squirrel away here until next year."

As they ate, Elizabeth looked at her gift to him a bit worried then said Jason, there is something we have to talk about. Something I just realized last night...

Frowning a bit, he looked up at the serious tone in her voice and said "Elizabeth..."

Taking a deep breath, she said "Thank you, thank you for saving me. That night in the park. I am so sorry that it took this long to realize you were the man who helped me."

Bowing his head, he softly said "I didn't do it for thanks."

With her hand she tilted his head up and then said with a smile, "I know, I am just embarrassed that it took this long. It wasn't until we were in the basement at Kelly's, that I figured it out.

Leaning in, she softly dragged her lips over his then deepened the kiss before whispering "May we open our presents now?"

With a graceful move, Jason took them from under the tree and saw the two with his name on them. "You first..."

She started to protest then said "How about we alternate?"

Nodding, he watched as she opened the jacket he had seen and been excited to get for her. When she slipped her arms through it, he smiled then opened her present. Seeing the painting he looked at her. "E-"

"I know you can't see it, come here and I will explain it to you." she said then pointing out the various items that were part of the whole, she said "Its what I see when I look at you. Love, compassion, and a strength that is your core. But there is also this hint of vulnerability, that you show me and I think only me..."

Kissing her, he said "I love you and it, now open my second gift."

"Bossy much." she said while ripping open the paper. "Jason, what is this?"

"Read it." he said then saw her eyes widen then look at him in shock, worried he started to back pedal scared she wouldn't... but she threw herself into his arms and said "Oh Jason, this is great, I can't wait."

Kissing her, he said "The guide is so you can plan which paintings you want to see." Then with a boyish grin he opened the second gift. Lifting the keys, he asked "Elizabeth..."

"This one is from more than me, I have to admit. But it was my idea." she said impishly. "It's a copy of the bike you drove through the living room at the Quartermaines. Sonny helped with it."

As they kissed, the phone rang. Glaring at it, Jason was going to ignore it when he heard a knock at the door. "Morgan, we were told if you two weren't decent to carry you over however you were dressed."

Opening the solid steel door, Jason glared at Johnny and Francis. "How would the two of you like to end up back in the hospital?"

"There are quite a few people waiting at the penthouse and I think Sonny is breaking out in hives, along with Scorpio, so I was told if you didn't move it, he would let the man arrest you just so he will leave."

Scrambling, Elizabeth went to the closet and changed her clothes, while Jason stood here wondering if killing them would be possible before she exited it. "The answer is no." said Francis humorously as he got what Jason was thinking.

Arriving at the Towers, Jason grabbed the zipper on Elizabeth's coat and quickly pulled her off for a kiss and to say "Let's escape as soon as possible, okay?"

"If I get to drive the bike..." she said trying to bait him into laughing.

Hiding his grin, he said NO then went to follow her into what appeared to be bedlam. His jaw dropped when he saw Sonny feeding the Scorpio girls and Taggert of all people while about a dozen others wandered around. No wonder the man had ordered the guards to bring him back.

Grabbing Marco he asked "What is this?"

"Heck if I know." he shrugged while heading back outside to where it was relatively calm. Today was one of those days he preferred hall duty.

Alexis slipped in the door, she had been waiting patiently for her daughter to arrive. She had already had a great Christmas, and what she had plans to do, made it even better. Thinking on who she had woken up with on her sofa, she gave soft giggle.

Elizabeth heard it and looked at Alexis. The wom- her mother, wow that was going to take some getting used to was practically glowing with excitement. "What is it?"

"I have someone I want you to meet." she said then asked Jason to join them. In her penthouse, Jax came down the stairs and Elizabeth said "I already know Jax."

"I think she means me." said the woman with the red hair who came from the kitchen. "Wow, you must my niece and Jax, you are right, there is no food in this kitchen only popcorn."

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she looked at Alexis who said "Jax has been telling me he was tracking down a surprise for me. I arrived home to them watching the explosion. Kristina, I thought she was dead, like I thought you were."

The red head stood and came over to Elizabeth. "So do you mind having an aunt as well as a mother. She told me everything, and I know this is a lot to have thrown at you..."

Elizabeth looked at Jason then the nervous young woman and hugged her. "No, I don't mind at all. Jax, nice to see you again."

With a soft smirk, he said "Same here, even if you are dating Morgan. I am assuming I will see you later at the Quartermaines?"

Nodding, she looked at Alexis and then Kristina but before she could even say anything there was a knock on the door. "Elizabeth, the Jones girls are looking for you."

"Come over?" she asked. Alexis said "We will be right there. Jason, a minute please?"

Elizabeth went to talk to Georgie and Maxie who excitedly told her what they got for Christmas before telling her why they were there. "We are talking painting lessons, daddy bought us each sets but he said we couldn't use them until we were with our teacher and you know how to paint right?"

Hugging the twosome, she agreed to teach them then Felicia gave a sideways look at Mac and Sonny then took the girls away. As Audrey talked quietly to Taggert, Jason joined them along with Alexis and Kristina while Sean Donnelly entered from a small ante room as well with Jeff Webber. "We have confirmation, Nik, Stefan, Stavros are dead. Most of the servants too. The tunnels show two bodies, one of them is female."

"What about Sarah?" asked Elizabeth anxiously. In spite of everything she was worried about the girl she had been raised with.

"She is in our custody." said Sean not telling her all the girl had spilled. "Lucky Spencer is missing however. He went over the cliff and we suspect he is dead but there is no body, not yet."

"Elizabeth, we need your permission to search the safety deposit boxes and such as well as Cassadine Industries."

Looking at them in surprise, she said "Why would you need my permission, wouldn't Alexis be the one..."

"No, because Helena made Mikkos specifically disinherit Kristen's daughters." he said then let Alexis explain that it didn't exclude her. The attorney had already given Jason a heads up.

"But-" Elizabeth didn't want it, any of it and let them know it.

"That is fine, but for now, we have to find out what we can and you are the only person who can authorize it." said Sean gently. "I have the paperwork with me, you as the heir apparent, just need to sign the release forms."

Looking at Alexis who nodded her agreement, Elizabeth signed then then asked her newly found mother if they could dispense with it afterwords.

Sonny got rid of the police, then told Alexis "We have had a Lucky sighting so don't go anyplace without security, Elizabeth, I know I don't have to tell you that."

Nodding, she asked "Where was he seen?"

"In the company of a tall blond woman. They broke into a pharmacy and stole medicine before driving away in a beat up old green car." Jeff looked at his daughter then said "Sarah is in jail, Sean is keeping it quiet, but she tried to call me. I told her I wouldn't bail her out..."

Elizabeth and Jason left to spend time at the mansion after opening presents with the people they loved at Sonny's. Slipping in the French doors, Elizabeth giggled as she heard Edward grilling Ned about slipping in regards to his present to her. "You know how she is, if you let one word out..."

"He didn't, so Merry Christmas Mr. Quartermaine." she said hugging the old man before greeting the rest of the festively dressed family. After quietly answering questions from Monica about how Jason and she were, they soon sat down, Jason feeling uneasy until Michael walked over and lifted out his arms.

He picked up the little boy, worried about how AJ would take it only to see his brother smirking for some reason... one that soon became apparent as the toddler climbed over him to get to his most favorite person in the world. Soon he was asleep on Elizabeth after babbling away about what she thought was his presents.

An hour later, Jason had rescued the old man from Elizabeth's wrath over the very expensive brushes and paints then found himself rescuing her from Emily when his sister and she had left. He had slipped into the hallway and listened to them gossiping his eyes widening as he got EXACTLY what they were talking about. With a quiet chuckle, he had drawn his sister off then shown her what was in his pocket.

Emily had had to hide her squeal as she returned to where Elizabeth was talking with the family. Everyone was now aware the truth about her parentage, Alan had been a bit worried but Monica had assured him that she had talked to Elizabeth for a few minutes and the younger girl was learning to deal with it.

After hugging Lila and a now awakening Michael, they took off for a ride. Jason pulled off near Vista Point and after a quick walk to the pine trees asked. "Will you consider moving in with me?"

She looked at him then said with a soft smile said "Maybe we should move into the studio."

"No, I have something to show you. I just wanted to ask first..." he said then asked nervously "Unless you don't want to... is that..."

Kissing him, she asked "Are we talking roommates with separate bedrooms or are we..."

"As my girl friend and hopefully as my future." he said quietly. When she nodded yes, he gave her a hard kiss on the lips then drove to the small house he had found. "What do you think?"

Touring around inside, she said "It's great Jason."

The day after Christmas, Elizabeth sat down with her newly extended family and told them what was going on. Only Kristina seemed to protest, explaining that she had been hoping Elizabeth would move in with Alexis and her.

"I just never have really had a family..." she explained. Elizabeth hugged her and said "We are still family... and I will be around so often you will get sick of seeing me."

The new year was full of strife and trouble as things were finally drawn to their rightful conclusions. Elizabeth had been called by Sean Donnelly and after a visit with Sarah, felt bad for the blond who truly didn't seem to get that she was facing charges for Lucky's murder.

She had hidden away the money her mother had given her from the trust when Nik had shown up and upon being charged with murder had tried to access it only for Alexis to claim it on her daughter's behalf. Sarah was wearing the orange jumpsuit and on her way to jail the day she pissed off fellow prisoner Carly Spencer and soon ended up in the medical ward.

Carly was having troubles of her own. She had been found guilty of attempted murder, and with her past, she was packed away to the state hospital for the mentally ill. Bobbie had been devastated but Tony Jones had talked her into moving to Tennessee with Lulu.

They were giving things a second chance, the red head in therapy so that she could kept Luke's daughter out of the foster care system and hopefully at some point remarry Tony. Leslie had been shocked at her ex-husband's part in the disaster even as she realized her daughter would never get better. Laura had been committed, she was still in the same fugue state she had been since Luke's death. 

Sonny had gotten out of the mob as much as he could, even opening a restaurant. Brenda had returned and spent time with both of her exes before leaving town yet again. Robin who had married the handsome doctor she met in Pine Valley, had gotten her friend to face that she wouldn't be happy with either man.

So the half mobster had gone through a long list women and was now dating a television producer. Alexis had spent a lot of time with Mac and eventually ended up marrying him which worked out well because Kristina had helped Jax deal with his past with Brenda and they were now living together.

Elizabeth and Jason had moved in together, both shocked when they finally gave in to their passion. Elizabeth told him she finally understood what he meant about the difference between love and sex, Jason just began slowly, hopefully plotting their future.

Things weren't always smooth sailing. A dark haired woman had shown up claiming to be the mother of Nik's child, too bad it had turned out to be a con... Elizabeth had sold the entire company, other than the hospital, then used the money to endow the whole thing.

Elizabeth and Jason had gone to Italy that summer, then after a heat wave knocked out all the lights had been forced to drive home from the only open airport in Newark New Jersey. On the way, they had run into a blond woman working in a diner. Hr husband who had shocked them by looking a lot like Lucky Spencer was the cook.

He had kindly greeted them, the when they were leaving asked where they were from. Hearing Port Charles, he felt a slight tinge but upon reentering the diner felt it go away when he saw his wife and kissed her.

"What is it?" she asked a bit fearfully. She had heard the name of the town from the couple and was concerned what he might remember.

But thanks to Helena's programming his need to be with a blond, he just said "Nothing my queen." as he kissed his wife Courtney. "Let's go home."

Elizabeth looked down at the ring on her finger then said just before they reached Port Charles, "Emily is going to be so excited. I still think we should have eloped."

Jason just reached over and enfolded her hand with his then lifted it to his lips to kiss it. "This way we let them have the wedding they are going to insist on, then they can't fight our news." 

Thinking on the house they had found, Elizabeth asked "Are you sure?"

At the stoplight he looked at her and said "They might not be happy about the idea for our honeymoon but when they hear about the house, I think between Alexis and Emily they will all get we are returning." They were planning on traveling the word, seeing all the sights they wanted before settling down to raise a family.

So a week after she graduated from college, Elizabeth Davis Webber had become Elizabeth Morgan. The Quartermaines were ecstatic, as were Elizabeth's family... Carly committed suicide by taking an overdose of her pills and Sarah, Sarah languished in prison for a murder she didn't commit jealous of the six page spread in Couture Magazine about the wedding.

Jason meanwhile opened the note Elizabeth had left on his pillow that morning as she went to paint. "You have given me so much and all I have had to give back until this moment was my heart. You have given me your family, your friends and most importantly your soul is the match to mine. Today I am going to be giving you a present you can't actually have for a while. Congratulations you are going to be a daddy in six months.

Sprinting out of bed, he rushed off to find his wife, spinning her around as they joyfully celebrated the news. "We are having a baby."

Leaning down to kiss her, he said "I know."

The end.


End file.
